Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons
1939 - 1946
|
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons 1939 - 1946 |
Western Europe
No. 2 Camouflage Unit Special Survey Flt. 212 Sqn Photo Development UnitMalta, Africa & Italy
680 Sqn 682 Sqn 683 SqnIndia & South East Asia
680 Sqn 681 Sqn 684 Sqn| Squadron locations | |
| Sept 1939 to Nov 1939 | Heston |
| Aircraft used | |
| Sept 1939 to Nov 1939 | Lockheed 12A |
| Sept 1939 to Nov 1939 | Beechcraft |
| Sept 1939 to Nov 1939 | Blenheim IV |
| Oct 1939 to Nov 1939 | Spitfire PR I |
NOTE:- On 1st Nov 1939 Heston Flight was renamed No.2 Camouflage Unit
| Squadron locations | |
| Sept 1939 to Jan 1940 | Heston |
| Aircraft used | |
| Nov 1939 to Jan 1940 | Lockheed 12A |
| Nov 1939 to Jan 1940 | Blenheim IV |
| Nov 1939 to Jan 1940 | Spitfire PR I |
| Squadron locations | |
| Nov 1939 to Nov 1939 | Lille/Seclin |
| Nov 1939 to Feb 1940 | Coulommiers |
| Aircraft used | |
| Nov 1939 to Feb 1940 | Spitfire PR I |
| Squadron locations | |
| Feb 1940 to Jun 1940 | Coulommiers |
| Aircraft used | |
| Feb 1940 to Jun 1940 | Spitfire PR I |
NOTE:- On 18th Jun 1940 212 Squadron was absorbed by the Photographic Development Unit/p>
| Squadron locations | |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Heston |
| Aircraft used | |
| Jan 1940 to Jun 1940 | Lockheed 12A |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Spitfire PR I |
| Feb 1940 to Jul 1940 | Hudson I |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Blenheim IV |
NOTE:- On 8th Jul 1940 the Photographic Development Unit was renamed the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
| Squadron locations | |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Heston |
| Aircraft used | |
| Jan 1940 to Jun 1940 | Lockheed 12A |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Spitfire PR I |
| Feb 1940 to Jul 1940 | Hudson I |
| Jan 1940 to Jul 1940 | Blenheim IV |
NOTE:- On 16 Nov 1940 the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit was renamed No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
| Squadron locations | |
| Nov 1940 to Dec 1941 | Heston |
| Dec 1941 to Oct 1942 | Benson |
| Aircraft used | |
| Nov 1940 to Oct 1942 | Spitfire PR I |
| Mar 1941 to Oct 1942 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Nov 1940 to May 1941 | Blenheim IV |
| Nov 1940 to Dec 1940 | Hudson I |
| Jun 1941 to Oct 1942 | Maryland I |
| Aug 1941 to Oct 1942 | Mosquito PR I |
| Aug 1942 to Oct 1942 | Mosquito PR IV |
NOTE:- On 19th Oct 1942 No. 1 PRU was disbanded and its parts formed
into 540, 541, 542, 543 and 544 Squadrons
| Squadron locations | |
| Oct 1942 to Feb 1944 | Leuchars, with detachments to Benson |
| Feb 1944 to Mar 1945 | Benson, with detachments to Gibraltar, Vagodnik, Dyce and Leuchars |
| Mar 1945 to Nov 1945/ | Coulommiers |
| Aircraft used | |
| Oct 1942 to Sept 1943 | Mosquito PR IV |
| Jun 1943 to Dec 1944 | Mosquito PR IX |
| Jun 1944 - Sept 1946 | Mosquito PR XVI |
| Nov 1944 to Aug 1945 | Mosquito PR 32 |
| Nov 1944 to Jun 1946 | Mosquito PR 34 |
| Squadron locations | |
| Oct 1942 to Sept 1946 | Benson, with detachments to Mount Farm, Leuchars, St Eval, Gibraltar and Lubeck |
| Aircraft used | |
| Oct 1942 to Jul 1943 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Nov 1942 to Dec 1942 | Spitfire PR IX |
| Jan 1943 - Mar 1946 | Spitfire PR XI |
| May 1944 to Jan 1945 | Spitfire PR X |
| Jun 1944 to May 1945 | Mustang III |
| Sept 1944 to Sept 1946 | Spitfire PR XIX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Oct 1942 to Aug 1945 | Benson, with detachments to Mount Farm and Leuchars |
| Aircraft used | |
| Oct 1942 to Jul 1943 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Feb 1943 to Jul 1943 | Spitfire PR IX |
| Feb 1943 - Aug 1945 | Spitfire PR XI |
| Jun 1944 to Jun 1945 | Spitfire PR X |
| Jun 1944 to Aug 1945 | Spitfire PR XIX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Oct 1942 to Oct 1943 | Benson, with detachments to St. Eval, Mount Farm and Leuchars |
| Aircraft used | |
| Oct 1942 to Oct 1942 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Nov 1942 to Oct 1943 | Spitfire PR IX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Oct 1942 to Oct 1945 | Benson, with detachments to Gibraltor and Leuchars |
| Aircraft used | |
| Oct 1942 to Apr 1943 | Wellington Mk IV |
| Oct 1942 to Oct 1943 | Spitfire PR IV |
| May 1943 to Oct 1943 | Spitfire PR XI |
| Dec 1942 to Feb 1943 | Maryland |
| Mar 1943 to Sept 1943 | Mosquito PR IV |
| Sept 1943 to Mar 1945 | Mosquito PR IX |
| Mar 1944 to Aug 1945 | Mosquito PR XVI |
| Mar 1944 to Aug 1945 | Mosquito PR 32 |
| Jun 1945 to Oct 1945 | Mosquito PR 34 |
| Squadron locations | |
| Feb 1943 to May 1943 | Heliopolis, with detachments to Castel Benito, Senem, Nicosia and Monastir |
| May 1943 to Dec 1943 | Heliopolis, with detachments to Nicosia, Derna and Tocra |
| Dec 1943 to Aug 1944 | Matariya, with a detachment at Lakatamia |
| Aug 1943 to Feb 1945 | San Severo, with detachments at Matariya |
| Feb 1945 to jul 1946 | Deversoir and a Detachment to Alippo |
| Aircraft used | |
| Feb 1943 - May 1944 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Feb 1943 - May 1944 | Spitfire PR VI |
| Feb 1943 - Feb 1943 | Beaufighter IC |
| Feb 1943 - Sept 1944 | Lockheed Electra 'Cloudy Joe' |
| Feb 1943 - Jan 1945 | Hurricane |
| Feb 1943 - May 1954 | Spitfire PR IX |
| Aug 1943 - Sept 1946 | Spitfire PR XI |
| Feb 1944 - may 1944 | Baltimore |
| Feb 1944 - Sept 1946 | Mosquito PR IX |
| Feb 1944 - Sept 1946 | Mosquito PR XVI |
NOTE:- Formed from 2 PRU. Disbanded 1st Sept 1946, renumbered as 13 Squadron
| Squadron locations | |
| Jan 1943 - Dec 1943 | Dum Dum, Detachment to Alipore |
| Dec 1943 - Jan 1944 | Chandina |
| Jan 1944 - May 1944 | Dum Dum |
| May 1944 - Jun 1945 | Alipore. Detachment to Imphal, Kaleymo, Monywa and Mingalodon |
| Jun 1945 - Sept 1945 | Mingalodon. Detachment to Alipore. |
| Sept 1945 - Dec 1945 | Kai Tak |
| Aircraft used | |
| Jan 1943 - Nov 1943 | B-25 Mitchell |
| Jan 1943 - Nov 1943 | Hurricane |
| Jan 1943 - Dec 1944 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Oct 1943 - Aug 1946 | Spitfire PR XI |
| Aug 1943 - Nov 1943 | Mosquito PR VI |
| Aug 1943 - Nov 1943 | Mosquito PR IX |
| Aug 1945 - Aug 1946 | Spitfire PR XIX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Feb 1943 - Jun 1943 | Maison Blanche |
| Jun 1943 - Dec 1943 | La Marsa |
| Dec 1943 - Sept 1944 | San Severo. Detachments to Vasto, Pomigliano, Alghero, Voltone, Borgo Biguglia, Le Luc, Malignano, Valence and Lyon |
| Sept 1944 - Sept 1945 | Peretola. Detachments to Dijon, Nancy and Hal Far |
| Aircraft used | |
| Feb 1943 - Jul 1943 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Feb 1943 - Sept 1945 | Spitfire PR XI |
| Sept 1944 - Sept 1945 | Spitfire PR XIX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Feb 1943 - Nov 1943 | Luqa |
| Nov 1943 - Dec 1943 | La Marsa |
| Dec 1943 - Sept 1945 | San Severo |
| Aircraft used | |
| Feb 1943 - Jul 1943 | Spitfire PR IV |
| Feb 1943 - Mar 1943 | Spitfire PR IX |
| Feb 1943 - Sept 1945 | Spitfire PR XI |
| May 1943 - Jun 1943 | Mosquito PR IV |
| Sept 1944 - Sept 1945 | Spitfire PR XIX |
| Squadron locations | |
| Sept 1943 - Dec 1943 | Dum Dum |
| Dec 1943 - Jan 1944 | Comilla |
| Jan 1944 - Apr 1944 | Dum Dum |
| Apr 1944 - Oct 1945 | Alipore. Detachments to Yelahanka, China Bay, the Cocos Islands and Seletar |
| Aircraft used | |
| Sept 1943 - Sept 1945 | B-25 Mitchell |
| Sept 1943 - Dec 1943 | Mosquito PR II |
| Sept 1943 - Dec 1944 | Mosquito PR VI |
| Oct 1943 - Feb 1945 | Mosquito PR IX |
| Feb 1944 - May 1946 | Mosquito PR XVI |
| Jul 1945 - May 1946 | Mosquito PR 34 |