Second World War Archives - Page 30 of 38

Blohm und Voss BV 222 Wiking Flying Boat

Blohm und Voss BV 222 Wiking Flying Boat

The Blohm und Voss BV 222 Wiking was a large six-engined flying boat originally designed for Luft Hansa as a trans-Atlantic commercial transport. With the commencement of World War Two, production was overtaken by the Luftwaffe. Used as a long range transport, reconnaissance and air-ambulance a total of 13 were built. Post war one was used by the Royal Air force until 1947 when a lack of spare parts resulted in it being scrapped.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V1

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V1, work number 222/365, initially with the civil registration number D-ANTE, first flew on September 7, 1940. In July 1941 it received the military codes CC+EQ. On May 10, 1942 it was assigned to Lufttransportstaffel-See 222. In February 1943 V1 hit a submerged wreck in Piraeus Harbour and sank, later being scrapped.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V2

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V2, work number 222/366, CC+ER, first flew on 7 August 1941. From August 10, 1942 it was coded X4+BH and operated by air transport Portstaffel-See 222. At the end of the war it was captured in Norway, then given to the US for testing. After testing, it was blown up off Trondheim.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 — Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V3

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V3, work number 222/439, DM+SD, first flew on 28 November 1941. From December 9, 1941 it was recoded as X4+CH of Transportstaffel-See 222 and was used as a long-distance transport. From May 1942 it was used for reconnaissance with the Fliegerfiihrer Atlantic On June 20 1943 along with BV 222 V5 it was attacked by a de Havilland Mosquito Il of No 264 Squadron, RAF on Lake Biscarosse in France and sunk.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V4

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V4, work number 222/0004, DM+ SE, first flew on the 9 April 1942. From April 20, 1942 coded X4+DH it was allocated to the air transport Portstaffel-See 222 At the end of the war it was in Kiel-Holtenau where it was blown up by its own crew.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DH somewhere in the Mediterranean possibly off Tobruk — Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V5, work number 222/000 0005 first flew on 3 July 1942. From July 7, 1942 coded X4+EH it was allocated to the air transport squadron See 222. On June 20, 1943 along with the BV 222 V3 it was attacked by a de Havilland Mosquito II No 264 Squadron RAF, on Lake Biscarosse in France and sunk.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5 in the Mediterranean

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V6

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V6, work number 222/000 0006, first few on August 19th 1942. From 21 August 1942 coded as X4+FH it was allocated to the Air Transport Staff Fel-See 222. On November 24, 1942 near Pantel-leria it was shot down by a Bristol Beaufighter of No 272 Squadron, RAF.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V7, first prototype of the C-series also referred to as C-07, work number 222/031 0007, was powered with Junkers Jumo 207 C diesel engines. It was operated as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft as TB+QL from August 16, 1943. At the end of the war it was blown up near Travemunde.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V8, work number 222/000 0008, was powered by Bramo 323 R2 Fafnir radial engines and first flew on 20 October 1942. From 26 October, 1942 coded X4+HH it was allocated to the air transport Portstaffel-See 222. On 10 December 10, 1942 it was shot down south of Malta by Bristol Beaufighters of 227 Squadron RAF.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V9 was the first C-series machine and was later designated C-09 powered by Junkers Jumo 207 C diesel engines. From July 23, 1943 it operated as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft. At the end of the war it was captured at Travemiinde.

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10, later designated C-010 wk.nr 222/031 0010, equipped with Junkers Jumo diesel engines, first flew on July 17, 1943. Assigned codes TB+QN it was used for long-distance reconnaissance by Fliegerfihrer Atlantic. It was shot down on February 8, 1944 near Biscarosse by a de Havilland Mosauito II of No 157th Squadron RAF.

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V11, later designated as C-011 wk.nr 222/33 0051, was equipped with Junkers Jumo 20 engines and first flew on October 16, 1943.Assigned codes TB+QO it was used as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft by Fliegerfihrer Atlantic. The fate of this aircraft is unknown.

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V12

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V12, later designated as C-012 wk.nr 222/33 0052, was powered by Junkers Jumo 20 engines and first flew on November 23, 1943. Assigned codes DL+TX it was used as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft by Fliegerführer Atlantic. It was captured by British troops in Norway at the end of the war and transferred to Great Britain. Given serial number VP501 it was used until April 1947.

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V13

Blohm & Voss BV 222 V13, later designated as C-013 wk.nr 222/33 0053, was equipped with Junkers Jumo engines and first flight on April 18, 1944. It received the identification code DL+TY.

Blohm und Voss BV 222 Detail

The wing-mounted turret of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5

Side Machine Gun of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V4 — The wing-mounted turret of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5

Blohm und Voss BV 222 Under Construction

Fuselage of a captured Blohm und Voss BV 222 in Hamburg 1945 — Blohm und Voss BV 222 under construction

Blohm und Voss BV 222 in British Service

Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the British

Blohm und Voss BV 222 in US Service

Blohm und Voss BV 222 evaluated by US Forces

Miscellaneous Blohm und Voss BV 222s

US Escort Carrier USS Copahee CVE-12

Starboard broadside view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) in San Francisco Bay, 9 May 1943

US Escort Carrier USS Copahee CVE-12

The Bogue-class escort carrier USS Copahee (CVE-12) was launched on 21 October 1941 and commissioned on 15 June 1942. Originally classified AVG-12, this was changed to ACV-12 on 20 August 1942 and to CVE-12 on 15 July 1943 Her final designation was CVHE-12 allotted on 12 June 1955.

Once commissioned Copahee transported aircraft from the US to bases in the Pacific. At the end of the Second World War, she took part in Operation Magic Carpet, transporting servicemen back to the US.

She was decommissioned on 5 July 1946 and placed in reserve. USS Copahee was scrapped in 1961.

Photos of USS Capahee

USS Copahee (ACV-12) entering Dry Dock 5 February 8,1942

USS Copahee (ACV-12) at anchor, circa 1942 — USS Copahee (ACV-12) entering Dry Dock 5 February 8,1942

Aircraft Operations

Vought F4U-1 Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 213 Hell Hawks warming up for flight from the deck of USS Copahee

Unloading a Douglas SBD Dauntless to barge from USS Copahee (ACV-12) at Midway Island, 21 May 1943. — Vought F4U-1 Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 213 Hell Hawks warming up for flight from the deck of USS Copahee

Heinkel He 114 in German Service

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Heinkel He 114 in German Service

Designed to relace the Heinkel He 60 on German warships, the Heinkel He 114 floatplane was not a great success and was soon replaced by the Arado Ar 196.

He 114 floatplanes were used aboard the hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruisers or raiders) Atlantis, Pinguin and Widder with each equipped with two He 114. They made extensive use of these aircraft during their raiding careers in 1940-41, until the aircraft were lost or worn out.