WWII photo reconnaissance aircraft...? - Aircraft of World War II

Lucky13 · 05-25-2009, 12:47 PM

Can't remember ever see a thread about those eyes in the sky... Which would you say was the best photo reconnaissance aircraft of WWII?

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 05-25-2009, 01:07 PM

I think the ultimate photo recon aircraft of WW2 has to be the Arado Ar 234B-1.

)

imalko · 05-25-2009, 02:09 PM

I think that for the Eastern front it would have to be Focke Wulf Fw 189. I believe the Soviets had good opinion of this aircraft too. I remember to have read somewhere (think it was in book "Back Cross Red Star") that Soviet fighter pilots considered Fw 189 as a hard plane to shot down and Red Army soldiers knew that when Fw 189 appeared on the sky they could expect an air raid or artillery bombardment.

Of course, there were also photo recon versions of fighter aircrafts like Spitfire or Bf 109, just to name the few...

Waynos · 05-25-2009, 02:23 PM

I think the Ar-234 as well, followed by the Spitfire PR.XI, which recoded a higher speed than was ever recorded in an Ar 234, albeit travelling downwards

Glider · 05-25-2009, 03:49 PM

Sounds like a stuck record I know but its the Spitfire.

syscom3 · 05-25-2009, 05:14 PM

The F5 version of the P38. Its big fat nose meant lots of room for cameras.

And most importantly, it had the range to go where the Spitfire could never get to.

And it had a decent enough speed to keep pursing aircraft at bay.

Juha · 05-25-2009, 05:48 PM

LR work Mossie PR.34 or PR IX
Medium range Arado Ar 234
TacRec NA F6 or Spitfire FR.XIV

Juha

Lucky, there is at least one tread on PR a/c, see http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/avi...sie-17225.html (mid war recon aircraft -Ki-46 Dinah or Mossie?)

Glider · 05-25-2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

The F5 version of the P38. Its big fat nose meant lots of room for cameras.

And most importantly, it had the range to go where the Spitfire could never get to.

And it had a decent enough speed to keep pursing aircraft at bay.

Its worth remembering that the 8th Airforce used Spitfire XI as well as the F5 and that they asked for the Spit XI because they could do what the F5 couldn't. I don't know the exact range figures but I do know that the Spitfire was able to operate over Germany by day and night so the range was more than good enough.

syscom3 · 05-25-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glider

Its worth remembering that the 8th Airforce used Spitfire XI as well as the F5 and that they asked for the Spit XI because they could do what the F5 couldn't. I don't know the exact range figures but I do know that the Spitfire was able to operate over Germany by day and night so the range was more than good enough.

And the F5 gave you coverage all the way into eastern Poland.

And the 8th AF always wanted P38's because they could do more things that the Spits couldnt do.

And of course in the PTO, the Spitfire simply didnt have the range to do anything.

Thorlifter · 05-25-2009, 06:42 PM

My vote would go for the Mosquito.

BombTaxi · 05-25-2009, 06:52 PM

With Thor on the Mossies as the best recon machine in the ETO - so good even the USAAF used it

On the Eastern Front, the superior type was definitely the Fw189. I'm not sure what I would go for in the PTO, probably the PBY, and definitely the Liberator for the North Atlantic, as it finally closed the infamous 'Air Gap'.

pbfoot · 05-25-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

And the F5 gave you coverage all the way into eastern Poland.

And the 8th AF always wanted P38's because they could do more things that the Spits couldnt do.

And of course in the PTO, the Spitfire simply didnt have the range to do anything.

The recce spit mkIV had a range of 2000 mile however I'd opt for the Lightning F5

syscom3 · 05-25-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbfoot

The recce spit mkIV had a range of 2000 mile however I'd opt for the Lightning F5

2000 miles? You have information to back that up?

syscom3 · 05-25-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombTaxi

With Thor on the Mossies as the best recon machine in the ETO - so good even the USAAF used it

On the Eastern Front, the superior type was definitely the Fw189. I'm not sure what I would go for in the PTO, probably the PBY, and definitely the Liberator for the North Atlantic, as it finally closed the infamous 'Air Gap'.

PBY? Every time they went on a recon mission and were found out by the Japanese, they ended up getting shot down or shoo'd away.

Same with the B24. Couldnt do deep recon without escort.

Now of course, there is a difference between maritime recon as opposed to continental recon.

BombTaxi · 05-25-2009, 08:30 PM

You have just answered your own criticism sys - there were no Axis fighters over the North Atlantic, so the Liberator was in it's element. While there is difference in maritime recon and overland recon, both roles are still recon. We could hair-split over what tasks constitute tactical recon, strategic recon, BDA, maritime patrol, etc etc, but all fall to a greater or lesser extent under the recon banner, IMHO. The basic aim is the same though - to locate the enemy, and by photographic means or otherwise, record his location and strength and then transmit the information back for processing and the tasking of other units as required by the threat.

05-25-2009, 12:47 PM	#1
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,140	WWII photo reconnaissance aircraft...? Can't remember ever see a thread about those eyes in the sky... Which would you say was the best photo reconnaissance aircraft of WWII? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

05-25-2009, 01:07 PM	#2
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 33,152	I think the ultimate photo recon aircraft of WW2 has to be the Arado Ar 234B-1. ) __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"[/I]

05-25-2009, 02:09 PM	#3
imalko Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vojvodina, Serbia Posts: 1,306	I think that for the Eastern front it would have to be Focke Wulf Fw 189. I believe the Soviets had good opinion of this aircraft too. I remember to have read somewhere (think it was in book "Back Cross Red Star") that Soviet fighter pilots considered Fw 189 as a hard plane to shot down and Red Army soldiers knew that when Fw 189 appeared on the sky they could expect an air raid or artillery bombardment. Of course, there were also photo recon versions of fighter aircrafts like Spitfire or Bf 109, just to name the few... __________________ "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant." Last edited by imalko; 05-25-2009 at 02:14 PM.

05-25-2009, 02:23 PM	#4
Waynos Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 914	I think the Ar-234 as well, followed by the Spitfire PR.XI, which recoded a higher speed than was ever recorded in an Ar 234, albeit travelling downwards __________________ BlondeValkyrie - Bugger off and host your OWN pictures you thieving twat

05-25-2009, 05:14 PM	#6
syscom3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 10,280	The F5 version of the P38. Its big fat nose meant lots of room for cameras. And most importantly, it had the range to go where the Spitfire could never get to. And it had a decent enough speed to keep pursing aircraft at bay. __________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"

05-25-2009, 03:49 PM	#5
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 3,655	Sounds like a stuck record I know but its the Spitfire.

05-25-2009, 05:48 PM	#7
Juha Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Helsinki Posts: 1,359	LR work Mossie PR.34 or PR IX Medium range Arado Ar 234 TacRec NA F6 or Spitfire FR.XIV Juha Lucky, there is at least one tread on PR a/c, see http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/avi...sie-17225.html (mid war recon aircraft -Ki-46 Dinah or Mossie?) Last edited by Juha; 05-25-2009 at 06:06 PM. Reason: Added the link and changed the older Mossie variant

05-25-2009, 06:42 PM	#10
Thorlifter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 4,345	My vote would go for the Mosquito. __________________

05-25-2009, 06:52 PM	#11
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	With Thor on the Mossies as the best recon machine in the ETO - so good even the USAAF used it On the Eastern Front, the superior type was definitely the Fw189. I'm not sure what I would go for in the PTO, probably the PBY, and definitely the Liberator for the North Atlantic, as it finally closed the infamous 'Air Gap'. __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

05-25-2009, 08:30 PM	#15
BombTaxi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brownhills, W. Mids, UK Posts: 1,189	You have just answered your own criticism sys - there were no Axis fighters over the North Atlantic, so the Liberator was in it's element. While there is difference in maritime recon and overland recon, both roles are still recon. We could hair-split over what tasks constitute tactical recon, strategic recon, BDA, maritime patrol, etc etc, but all fall to a greater or lesser extent under the recon banner, IMHO. The basic aim is the same though - to locate the enemy, and by photographic means or otherwise, record his location and strength and then transmit the information back for processing and the tasking of other units as required by the threat. __________________ Good generals think about tactics. Great generals think about logistics. "If freedom is to be saved and enlarged, poverty must be ended. There is no other solution." - Nye Bevan "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" - John Donne, Meditation XVII

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