A remarkable pair of Luftwaffe wartime aircraft have been filmed at the bottom of a lake

The Royal Norwegian Navy has revealed details of two remarkable World War Two aircraft wrecks it has discovered in Trondheimsfjorden, an inlet of the Norwegian Sea near Trondheim.

Using Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles, the navy’s 1st Minesweeper Squadron has located the surprisingly intact remains of Heinkel He 115 S4+DH and a six-engined Blohm & Voss BV 222, Germany’s largest wartime seaplane. Since then, using state-of-the-art Blueye underwater camera drones, it has obtained striking images of both aircraft.

In September 2022, the BV 222 was found at a depth of 318m (1,043ft). Its discovery was followed in March 2023 by that of the He 115 at a depth of 253m. Neither wreck had ever been visited by divers or submersibles before.

“Few things excite the Blueye team more than the opportunity to explore new wrecks,” stated Blueye Robotics chief technology officer Jonas Follesø. “This autumn, we have conducted several dives on both aircraft. We are excited to share the first images and some of the history of the BV 222 and the He 115.”

A sonar image revealing the six-engined BV 222 Forsvaret

BV 222 V2 was moored off Skansen until October 1945. Due to ongoing engine problems, the British decided to tow it into Trondheimsfjorden and sink it on October 10. Until recently, the location of its final resting place was unknown. S4+DH was one of 15 He 115s that took off from Sylt on April 9, 1945, bound for Trondheim. Hit by fire from a Short Sunderland it was brought down on the lake and sank.

Heinkel He 115 S4+DH is one of two remarkable wrecks discovered in Norway – Blueye Robotics

Another close-up view from Blueye Robotics