The Dornier Do 335 was a twin-engined fighter designed for the German Luftwaffe during the closing stages of the Second World War. The engines were arranged in a push-pull configuration, which produced a very fast aircraft. Overheating was a constant threat from the rear engine, a problem that continued throughout its development.
By the end of the war, no Do 335s had been delivered to operational squadrons. At leat 16 prototypes were built, along with approximately 22 pre-production machines completed. These included A-0, A-1 and A-11 versions. Numerous options were under development including a night fighter and twin fuselage versions.
Post war, captured aircraft were evaluated by France, Britain and the US.
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 & 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 & 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-2Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 X4+BHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 with gondolas removedBlohm & Voss BV 222 V2 having lower hull repairedBlohm und Voss BV 222 V2 in Norway 1945Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 X4+BHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V2
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 V-3
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-4Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DH somewhere in the Mediterranean possibly off TobrukBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V4
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 MediterraneanBlohm und Voss BV 222 V5Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5 in Norway
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 V6
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 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Cockpit of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)
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 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8
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 und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)
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 V5Side Machine Gun of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V4MG 157 turret on Blohm und Voss BV 222 V3 of the LTS 222Engine and wing-mounted floats of the Blohm und Voss BV 222Engine detail of the Blohm und Voss BV 222The wing-mounted floats of the Blohm und Voss BV 222Cockpit of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Cockpit of the Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-1
Blohm und Voss BV 222 Under Construction
Blohm und Voss BV 222 under constructionFuselage of a captured Blohm und Voss BV 222 in Hamburg 1945
Blohm und Voss BV 222 in British Service
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm 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 ForcesBlohm und Voss BV 222 evaluated by US Forces
Miscellaneous Blohm und Voss BV 222s
Blohm und Voss BV 222 C-0Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222
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.
USS Copahee (ACV-12) entering Dry Dock 5 February 8,1942USS Copahee (ACV-12) at anchor, circa 1942USS Copahee (AVG-12) off Puget Sound Navy Yard on 17 August 1942USS Copahee (ACV-12) Puget Sound Navy Yard, 17 August 1942. Port view.USS Copahee (ACV-12) Puget Sound Navy Yard, 17 August 1942. Bow view.USS Copahee (ACV-12) at sea, 31 August 1942.USS Copahee (ACV-12) underway off Port Angeles, Washington, on 30 August 1942.Mess Attendants manning a 20mm machine gun, in a gun tub beside the flight deck, USS Copahee (ACV-12) 9 September 1942Starboard broadside view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) in San Francisco Bay, 9 May 1943Stern view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) in San Francisco Bay, 9 May 1943Bow on view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) in San Francisco Bay, 9 May 1943Port broadside view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) in San Francisco Bay, 9 May 1943USS Copahee (ACV-12) underway off Mare Island, on 14 July 1943Stern view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) off Mare Island on 14 July 1943Forward plan view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) at Mare Island on 14 July 1943Aft plan view of USS Copahee (ACV-12) at Mare Island on 14 July 1943USS Copahee passing under the Golden Gate Bridge on her way out to sea on 15 July 1943, the day she was redesignated CVE-12USS Copahee (CVE-12) underway from San Diego Naval Repair Base to U.S. Naval Air Station, North Island, 9 April 1944USS Copahee (CVE-12) wearing camouflage Measure 33 12A off Saipan in June 1944USS Copahee (CVE-12) off Hunters Point, San Francisco, California, 1944USS Copahee (CVE-12), 25 July 1944, taken by a blimp from squadron ZP-12. This camouflage is Measure 33 Design 12AUSS Copahee CVE-12
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.Aircraft being transported by USS Copahee (CVE-12)USS Copahee left the Garapan off Saipan on 8 July 1944 with a load of captured Japanese planes (13 Zekes and 1 Kate)Mitsubishi A6M5 aboard USS Copahee (CVE-12) Saipan July 1944Mitsubishi A6M5 aboard USS Copahee (CVE-12) Saipan July 1944Mitsubishi A6M5 aboard USS Copahee (CVE-12) Saipan July 1944
