After DoW ot was the KM recommendation to acquire bases in Norway.So, interesting thread and discussion. As I understand it, here is the range of the OTL Dornier Do 26. Based upon an un-refueled range of ~5,500 miles, shown on a map of the N Atlantic. I suck at hand tracing a custom flight plan, but for range determinations on a map, this should do nicely, right?
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As we can see, if I didn't screw this up, even without the refueling stop posited in the OP, the aircraft has the ability to cover virtually all of the N. Atlantic ocean one would expect to want/need to scout. Although this image has the planes taking off and landing in Norway, it is not hard to imagine that the Germans might realise that Iron ore shipments might need to be protected, and that might mean a German occupation on Norway, and such a realization would predate the actual aircraft by a decade or two, so...
If the Germans plan to take Norway, then basing aircraft there has obvious advantages, not limited to long range land based naval recon.
The ability to project power in Norway against French opposition was a major reason for expanding the KM. Makes sense