With a wing span of 46 m and six engines the Blohm & Voss BV 222 was the largest flying boat built in the second world war. It reached a maximum speed of 385 km/h at an altitude of 4,500 m and had a gigantic range of 7,000 km. On 7th August 1941, the BV 222 V2 which, following experience with the V1, was already equipped with suitable defensive weapons, made it maiden flight. The BV 222 resulted from an order by Deutsche Lufthansa who wanted a long-range flying boat for the North and South Atlantic routes. With a flying weight of 45 tonnes the machine was intended to carry 24 passengers on daytime schedules or 15 passengers overnight. The first flight took place on 7th September 1940, which was after the start of the second world war, when a machine with a long-range capacity and large cargo space was already of special interest to the military. A total of 12 machines were built in different versions. After completion of trials and conversion, the V2 went into service as a troop transporter with LTS See 222 (air transport command sea 222), before it was finally introduced to 1/SAGr. 129 in Biscarosse, France for the long-range reconnaissance purpose for which it was originally intended. In July 1944 the V2 drew attention to itself with "Schatzgräber" or "Treasure Seeker", which was the code name of a German weather station at Alexandra Land in the Arctic, whose sick crew needed to be evacuated.