[3] Development of the BV 238 started in January 1941 in response to a Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM/German Aviation Ministry) request for a long range multipurpose flying boat.

The resulting design drew upon the firm's existing large six-engined flying boat, the BV 222 Wiking, but was considerable larger and featured numerous refinements, such as to its elevator and float configuration.

While recovery was thought to be possible, the end of the conflict and the refusal of the Allies to permit continued aircraft development in Germany at that time meant that work on the programme was abandoned.

Furnished with eight engines, this vast flying boat was anticipated to have had a loaded weight of 200,000 kg (440,925 lb), a range of 8,600 km (5,300 mi) and a passenger capacity of 120.

[5] During January 1941, work on the P.200 proposal was suspended in order to focus on the fulfilment of a new request issued by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM/German Aviation Ministry) for a long range multipurpose flying boat.

Instead, in July 1941, work commenced on a fresh design that, while being considerably larger than the BV 222, shared numerous features as well as its general layout.

[6] While its similarities to the BV 222 meant that some useful data could be obtained from this existing flying boat, it was felt that some aspects were too dissimilar for this arrangement to be fully sufficient.

[2] The hull had an unusually long and slim planing bottom, of essentially two-step design but with a row of smaller auxiliary steps behind the main one.

A catwalk ran internally along the wing in front of the tubular steel main spar, providing access to the engines in flight.

[1] A landplane version, initially referred to as the BV 238-Land, was proposed; it was to be capable of carrying out transport, long-range bombing and transatlantic reconnaissance duties.