AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE
THE RECONNAISSANCE SPITFIRES OF 16 SQUADRON PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE THROUGHOUT D-DAY AND THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY, AS ANDREW THOMAS DESCRIBES.
Having an accurate picture of the German defences shortly before, during and after D-Day was of paramount importance to the Allies, and the task of bringing back the vital intelligence pictures fell primarily to the photo-recce teams within the RAF’s 2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF). One of the prominent units undertaking the work was 16 Squadron.
It was based at Hartford Bridge, Hampshire, flying photo reconnaissance Spitfires as part of 34 (PR) Wing with 140 Squadron under Gp Capt Rochford Lousada. Through the winter of 1943/1944, one of the Wing’s main tasks was photographing much of western France to develop a series of photo-mosaic charts on which to base the tactical maps that would be essential for the coming invasion.
In February 1944, the tempo of the photo-reconnaissance programme began to increase with 16 Squadron’s Spitfires ranging ever further afield, particularly covering the transport routes into what would become the Normandy invasion area. On March 7, the Wing moved to Northolt on the outskirts of London where No.16 …
