List of United States Army Air Forces reconnaissance units

This is a list of United States Army Air Forces reconnaissance units, primarily operating during World War II. The subsequent United States Air Force unit lineage is noted where applicable.

Aircraft operated

Groups

1st Photographic Group

May 1941-Oct 1944

HQ USAAF; Second Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-2 (C-45), F-3 (A-20), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25), A-29, and B-18

Squadrons deployed Worldwide Photo-Mapping

2d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 2d Photographic Group

May 1942-May 1944

Second Air Force (ZI); Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17)

Operational Training Unit

3d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 3d Photographic Group

Jun 1942-Mar 1947

Twelfth Air Force (MTO)

Operated F-4/F-5 (P-38)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

4th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 4th Photographic Group

Jul 1942-Jan 1946

Thirteenth Air Force (South, Southwest Pacific)

Operated F-5 (P-38), F-10 (B-25)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

5th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 5th Photographic Group

Jul 1942-Oct 1945

Twelfth Air Force; Fifteenth Air Force (MTO)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-4 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

6th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 6th Photographic Group

Feb 1943-Apr 1946

Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific)

Operated F-4/F-5 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), B-26

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

7th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 7th Photographic Group

May 1943-Nov 1945

Eighth Air Force (ETO)

Operated Spitfire PR XI, P-51 (Escorts)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

8th Reconnaissance Group

Sep 1943-Nov 1945

Tenth Air Force (CBI)

Operated F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-7 (B-24), P-40 (Escorts)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

9th Reconnaissance Group

Sep 1943-May 1944

Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-4 (P-38), F-5 (P-38) F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17)

Operational Training Unit

10th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 73d Observation Group

Sep 1941-Jun 1948

Ninth Air Force (ETO)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

Resesignated as USAF 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1948

11th Photographic Group

Nov 1943-Oct 1944

HQ USAAF (ZI)

Squadrons deployed Worldwide

Squadrons deployed Worldwide Photo-Mapping; Combat Photo-Reconnaissance in CBI

Operated F-2 (C-45), F-3 (A-20), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25), F-13 (B-29)

25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance)

Jul 1944-Sep 1945

Eighth Air Force (ETO)

Operated Mosquito F-8-DH. Mosquito PR Mk XVI, F-5/P-38, F-7/B-24, F-9/B-17, F-10/B-25, B-26G Marauder (Night Reconnaissance)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance, Weather Reconnaissance, Electronic Counter-Measures

Established as USAF 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, July 1965

26th Reconnaissance Group

Aug 1941-Nov 1943; Dec 1946-Jun 1949

First Air Force; Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2

Operational Training Unit

Established as USAF 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, May 1952

59th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 59th Observation Group

1941-1942;1943-1944

First Air Force; Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated Light Observation Aircraft, P-39F-2

Coastal patrols, Operational Training Unit

65th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 65th Observation Group

Aug 1941-Oct 1942; Mar-Aug 1943;Dec 1946-Jun 1949

Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve

Operated Light Observation Aircraft, F-10 (B-25)

Coastal patrols, Operational Training Unit

66th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 66th Observation Group

Aug 1941-Apr 1944; Dec 1946-May 1951

Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40

Operational Training Unit

Reactivated as USAF 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jan 1953

67th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 67th Observation Group

Sep 1941-Mar 1946

Eighth Air Force; Ninth Air Force (ETO)

Operated F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), P-51 (Escorts)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

Reactivated as USAF 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1948

68th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 68th Observation Group

Aug 1941-Jun 1944; Mar 1947-Jun 1949

Twelfth Air Force (MTO); Air Force Reserve

Operated Spitfire PR XI, F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-27), A-36, P-39F-2

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

Reactivated as USAF 68th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Oct 1951

69th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 69th Observation Group

Aug 1941-Jul 1946

Ninth Air Force (ETO)

Operated Mosquito PR Mk XVI, F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

70th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 70th Observation Group

Aug 1941-Nov 1943; Mar 1947-Jun 1949

Second Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2

Operational Training Unit

71st Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 71st Observation Group

Aug 1941-Feb 1946; Feb 1947-Apr 1949

Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific); Far East Air Forces (Occ Japan)

Operated F-5 (P-38), F-10 (B-25)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

72d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 72d Observation Group

Aug 1941-Nov 1943; May 1947-Jun 1949

Sixth Air Force (Caribbean); Air Force Reserve

Operated B-18

Antisubmarine Patrols, Photo-Mapping

74th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 74th Observation Group

Feb 1942-Nov 1945; Dec 1946-Jun 1949

Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-6 (P-51), F-10 (B-25), P-40

Operational Training Unit

75th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 75th Observation Group

Feb 1942-May 1944

Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), F-6 (P-51), P-39F-2, P-40

Operational Training Unit

Established as 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in May 1966

76th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 76th Observation Group

Feb 1942-Apr 1944

Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40

Operational Training Unit

77th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 77th Observation Group

Feb 1942-Nov 1943

Third Air Force (ZI); Detachment in India, Feb-Jul 1943

Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40

Operational Training Unit: Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

308th Reconnaissance Group (Weather)

Oct 1946-Jan 1951

Air Weather Service (MATS)

Operated WB-29

Weather Reconnaissance

363d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 363d Fighter Group

Sep 1944-Dec 1945; Jul 1946-Jun 1948

Ninth Air Force (ETO)

Operated F-5 (F-5), F-6, (P-51)

Combat Photo-Reconnaissance

Redesignated as USAF 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1951

376th Reconnaissance Group

May 1947-Sep 1948

Strategic Air Command

Operated WB-29

Weather Reconnaissance

423d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 423d Observation Group

Mar-Apr 1943

Third Air Force (ZI)

Operated F-5 (F-38), F-6, (P-51)

Operational Training Unit

424th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 424th Observation Group

Mar-Apr 1943

Third Air Force (ZI)

Not fully organized, disbanded

426th Reconnaissance Group

Jul-Aug 1943

Third Air Force (ZI)

Not fully organized, disbanded

432d Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 432d Observation Group

Feb-Nov 1943

Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (ZI)

Operated F-5 (F-5), F-6, (P-51), P-39F-2

Operational Training Unit

Reactivated as USAF 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jan 1954

Wings

90th Reconnaissance Wing

Oct 1943-Oct 1945

Twelfth Air Force (MTO); Fifteenth Air Force (MTO)

Reactivated as USAF 90th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949

91st Reconnaissance Wing

Oct 1943-Jan 1946

Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific)

Reactivated as USAF 91st Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949

311th Reconnaissance Wing

Jan 1944-Apr 1948

HQ USAAF

Units deployed Worldwide

Redesignated as USAF 311th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Nov 1949

325th Reconnaissance Wing

Aug 1944-Oct 1945

Eighth Air Force (ETO)

Redesignated as USAF 325th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.