Profile of Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH: An account of the background, products and projects of the Hamburg‐based HFB

IN 1933, the owners of the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg decided to enter the aircraft industry and established the appropriate facilities in one of the former marine workshops. Tubular and wooden structure training types were manufactured at the yard and flight tested at the airport of Fuhlsbuttel. The scope of this activity grew and a number of designs were built including dive bombers and flying boats as well as the four‐engined Hal39. The BV138, 222 and 238 became quite well known and also the BV141 asymmetrical reconnaissance aircraft which was the subject of much contention.