Spitfire Photo-Recce Units of World War 2

This book explores the fascinating feats of RAF''s photographic reconnaissance aircraft. During World War 2, photographic reconnaissance in the RAF started gathering intelligence on the enemy using cameras installed in PR Spitfires. The aircraft that proved this concept was the Supermarine Spitfire, which, stripped of all excess weight, and carrying cameras and additional fuel, penetrated deep into enemy territory to bring back photographs that specialist interpreters could scrutinise to determine the enemy''s activities. This fascinating book examines the evolution of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), from a small clandestine flight of the British Secret Intelligence Service into an operational group fulfilling the photographic requirements of clients including the RAF and the War Office. From various bases in Britain, the uniquely camouflaged blue (and, occasionally, pink) Spitfires of the PRU covered targets in occupied Europe from the Norwegian fjords to the great German industrial centres. Their superior performance made an immediate impact in North Africa and Malta as the PR Spitfires kept watch on German and Italian forces. Further afield, in India, Spitfires flew over the jungles of Burma monitoring Japanese troops. Using specially commissioned aircraft profile artwork, first-hand accounts and original photography, aviation expert Andrew Fletcher explores the fundamental role of the iconic PR Spitfire throughout the war and its various theatres.>

Product details

• Authors: Andrew Fletcher, Fletcher Andrew, Jim Laurier
• Assisted by: Gareth Hector (Illustration), Hector Gareth (Illustration), Jim Laurier (Illustration), Laurier Jim (Illustration)
• Publisher: Osprey Publishers
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 17.08.2023
• EAN: 9781472854612
• ISBN: 978-1-4728-5461-2
• No. of pages: 96
• Dimensions: 186 mm x 247 mm x 5 mm
• Series: Combat Aircraft
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > 20th century (up to 1945); Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Myanmar, Europe, HISTORY / Military / World War II, HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century, TRANSPORTATION / Aviation / History, HISTORY / Military / Vehicles, Military vehicles, Air forces & warfare, Second World War, United Kingdom, Great Britain, c 1938 to c 1946 (World War Two period), North Africa, Military intelligence, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2), Myanmar (Burma)