FRE 2178

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Personnel of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group push an F-5 Lightning out of a blister hangar. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication[no date].' [stamp] and '273537.' [Censor no.] 'Passed for publication 8 Jul 1943' [stamp].'ESTEN(ILLUS) 8.7.43 Printed caption attached to the reverse: MODERN "CYCLOPS" OF THE U.S.A.A.F. The most dangerous and up till now the most secret [illegible] job of the U.S.A.A.F. is performed by members of the U.S.A's Photographic Reconnaissance Unit known as the P.R.U. Flying at heights varying between 25,000 and 40,000 feet alone and completely unarmed they pry and search out the enemy's secrets. No part of enemy territory is immune from these pilots. Their only protection is the speed of the aircraft which are the now famous P.38 popularly known in its fighter form as the Lightening. As many as five different types of cameras are carried varying in lens size between 5 inches and 40 inches focal length. The enormous magnification power of these lenses accounts for the clarity of the air photographs published in the newspapers from time to time. These pictures are taken on an average from 6 miles up. To observers on the ground these machines cannot be heard and are also quite invisible when flying at their operational height. Flying for hours in the sub-stratosphere as these pilots do, inflicts a terrific strain and they are chosen for their extreme physical fitness. Their navigation has also to be flawless. Finding (in spite of camouflage) and photographing a target of probability a 100 square yards in area from a height of 35,000 feet, at a speed of 400 miles an hour would seem an almost impossible task. But these pilots do it every day. THE WHOLE OF THE war strategy air, sea and land, is planned by the chiefs of services on the photographs taken by these intrepid pilots. Photographs for making up to the minute maps, for planning new air attacks, for detecting movements of shipping, rail and road transport and last but not least the photographing of targets previously bombed for damage assessment. Planned strategy in modern warfare is impossible without the aid of Photographic Reconnaissance. ESTEN ( ILLUS) 8.7.43 MODERN "CYCLOPS" OF THE U.S.A.A.F. OPS.1. From a base somewhere in Britain a P38 is hauled from its portable hanger for operations. It appears that the ground crew appreciate our English summer.

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IWM, Roger Freeman Collection