Germany's Blohm und Voss Bv 222 "Wiking" reconnaissance flying boat

Photos

Design

The Bv 222 was designed to fulfill a 1937/1938³ Deutsche Lufthansa requirement for a cross Atlantic flying boat.² It was also the largest flying boat used in World War II.³

Deutsche Lufthansa (DLH) ordered three Bv 222s in September 1939 to be used as a 24 berth transatlantic liner.^1,3

Was initially powered by six BMW Bramo Fafnir 323 R radial engines.¹

To build a Bv 222 required 35,000 man hours.¹

The hull was a corrosion resistant alloy which was from 1/8" - 1/2" / 3 - 5 mm in thickness.¹

Wings

The wings were placed high in the fuselage.⁴

Armament

Some BV-222s were outfitted with search radar and powered gun turrets for use in long-range reconnaissance in the Atlantic to work with the U-Boats.¹

There were gun blisters on each side of the fuselage and turrets in the nose and tail.⁴

Prototype

The Bv 222V-1 prototype flew on September 7, 1940 but with the war, DLH no longer needed them.^1,2,3 The first prototype flew its first cargo flight to Norway in July 1941.^1,3

Production

• Blohm und Voss Bv 222C: 4³
• Total: 13²
  • Manufacturer: Blohm und Voss Schiffswerft Abteilung Flugzeugbau³
  • Production: ? - 1944³

Variants

• Blohm und Voss Bv 222V-1, Blohm und Voss Bv 222V-2, Blohm und Voss Bv 222V-3: Prototypes with machine guns in various positions.¹
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222V-7: Flew in April 1943 with six Junkers Jumo 207C diesel engines.^1,2
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222A: had 2 turrets in the outer wings armed with 20 mm guns.¹
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222B: Was proposed to be a civilian transport.² None built.²
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222C-09 to Blohm und Voss Bv 222 C-012: Pre production models.² Appeared in early 1943.³
• Blohm und Voss Bv 222C-013: Production model.²

Usage

The first three prototypes and five pre-production vehicles formed the Luft-Transportstaffel (See) 222.¹

In October 1943 a Bv 222 shot down a Lancaster over the Atlantic.¹

The Bv 222 was used for transportation in the Mediterranean and by the end of 1942 carried 1,377 tons of cargo, 17,000 troops, and 2,400 casualties.¹ All seven Bv 222s carried a total of 3,496 tons of cargo, 37,500 troops, and 5,169 wounded in 1942 on all fronts.³

It was found that the Bv 222 was rather vulnerable to attack after two were shot down and one damaged while in use in the Mediterranean.³ After this most flights were conducted at night.

France

The Bv 222s were then sent to France to be used as reconnaissance planes.³ They weren't very successful and were returned to being transports.³

Survived

Seven survived the war and two (Bv 222 C-011 and Bv 222 C-013³) were flown to the United States for evaluation.^1,2 Bv 222 C-012 was captured by the British in Norway.³

Specifications