Norway had few airfields and abundant water, making a very large flying boat practical for supplying the theatre. The BV 222 could carry 92 passengers or as many as 72 stretcher cases, giving it substantial transport and medical-evacuation capacity. Its ferry range of roughly 3,300 nautical miles and endurance near 28 hours also suited long-distance communications and patrol work. The aircraft attacked Allied submarines on occasion and also flew maritime reconnaissance in support of German U-boats, although such operations carried the risk of striking friendly submarines by mistake. These features made the Viking a practical transport and patrol aircraft for Norwegian operations.
Notable Point · 26:03-29:31
BV 222 Viking: Norway's seaborne transport link
The enormous BV 222 Viking used water access to sustain Norwegian operations, while also serving in maritime patrol, anti-submarine, and evacuation roles.