7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
Group![Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273528.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-380976.jpg.webp?itok=hzxqqs1e)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 2170 - Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on...
Based for the majority of their service at Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, the 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) took over three million intelligence photos during the course of 4,251 sorties over occupied Europe. The Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for photo sorties over the Normandy coast between 31 May and 30 June 1944, which were a crucial part of the preparation for the land invasion that began on 6 June 1944.
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
![Colonel James G Hall, Commander, Major James Wright, Group operations and Captain George A Lawson of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the nose of an F-5 Lightning. 1943. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed by AAF STA 234. Not to be published.' [stamp]](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380971.jpg.webp?itok=EhRsfrb7)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0436518, 046605-8389A
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 325th Photographic Reconnaissance Wing 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-732160
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
![A pilot of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in the cockpit of an F-5 Lightning. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273522.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '28/3/43.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380983.jpg.webp?itok=zBzPESDY)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: 489875
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
![An F-5 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide case "NMF [Natural Metal Finish] F-5 Mount Farm 1944 268205 R Astrella"](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-387614.jpg.webp?itok=e5e3dJbQ)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-729166
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot - Group Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Service Numbers: O-17852
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
|
Other Constituted as 7th Photographic Group. |
5 February 1943 | |
|
Other Activated |
1 May 1943 | |
|
Based |
Mount Farm | 7 July 1943 - 22 March 1945 |
|
Based |
Chalgrove | 22 March 1945 - 25 October 1945 |
|
Based |
Hitcham | 25 October 1945 - 21 November 1945 |
|
Other Redesignated as as 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group. |
||
|
Other Redesignated as 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) |
||
|
Other Redesignated as 7th Reconnaissance Group |
Encompassing
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32039149
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-567304
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
Mission
- Date: 27 February 1945
- Date: 7 July 1944
- Date: 6 July 1944
- Date: 5 July 1944
- Date: 4 July 1944
Revisions
Air Force Combat Units of WWII
Consolidation of duplicate units and connections to reflect the Group's structure according to "Air Force Combat Units of World War 2", Ed. Maurer Maurer, Office of Air Force History. Washingto D.C. 1983. (p.45)
Chris Brassfield
"Eyes of the Eighth" - Patricia Fussell Keen
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983).
![Two engineers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group remove cameras from an F-5 Lightning. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273532.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380961.jpg.webp?itok=_SoQL28U)
![An operations officer of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group checks the assignments board. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Jul 1943.' [stamp- crossed out by censor], 'Not to be published.' [stamp] and '273526.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Esten (Illus). Modern Cyclops of the USAAF. OPS 12: The operations officer checks the assignments board for the day. 8.7.43'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380962.jpg.webp?itok=cVfc3XPN)
![Personnel of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group conduct a detailed study of the images they have taken Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273510.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380963.jpg.webp?itok=2sISSQS2)
![Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group examine prints. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273508.' [Censor no.]. Printed caption on reverse: 'Esten (Illus.) Modern "Cyclops" of the USAAF. OPS 29: Huge automatic rotary machines are used to produce the prints from the negatives. Photographic officers are examining the prints as they leave the machine. The machines, which are British, produce 900 prints an hour](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380964.jpg.webp?itok=7zMzAGk8)
![Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group check prints. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273507.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380965.jpg.webp?itok=Z75EZmrI)
![Personnel of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group unload Aircraft magazine cameras from a truck, into a crew hut. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273511.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been damaged, the remaining text reads: 'ESTEN (ILLUS). Modern "Cyclops" of the USAAF. 8.7.43 ... and camera team meet the returning ... magazines are removed and carefully places ... are](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380967.jpg.webp?itok=tkWqaHvO)