List of United States Army Air Forces reconnaissance units

This is a list of United States Army Air Forces reconnaissance units, primarily operating during World War II. The subsequent United States Air Force unit lineage is noted where applicable.

Groups

 * 1st Photographic Group
 * May 1941-Oct 1944
 * HQ USAAF; Second Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-2 (C-45), F-3 (A-20), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25), A-29, and B-18
 * Squadrons deployed Worldwide Photo-Mapping


 * 2d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 2d Photographic Group
 * May 1942-May 1944
 * Second Air Force (ZI); Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17)
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 3d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 3d Photographic Group
 * Jun 1942-Mar 1947
 * Twelfth Air Force (MTO)
 * Operated F-4/F-5 (P-38)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 4th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 4th Photographic Group
 * Jul 1942-Jan 1946
 * Thirteenth Air Force (South, Southwest Pacific)
 * Operated F-5 (P-38), F-10 (B-25)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 5th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 5th Photographic Group
 * Jul 1942-Oct 1945
 * Twelfth Air Force; Fifteenth Air Force (MTO)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-4 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 6th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 6th Photographic Group
 * Feb 1943-Apr 1946
 * Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific)
 * Operated F-4/F-5 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), B-26
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 7th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 7th Photographic Group
 * May 1943-Nov 1945
 * Eighth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated Spitfire PR XI, P-51 (Escorts)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 8th Reconnaissance Group
 * Sep 1943-Nov 1945
 * Tenth Air Force (CBI)
 * Operated F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-7 (B-24), P-40 (Escorts)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 9th Reconnaissance Group
 * Sep 1943-May 1944
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-4 (P-38), F-5 (P-38) F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17)
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 10th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 73d Observation Group
 * Sep 1941-Jun 1948
 * Ninth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance
 * Resesignated as USAF 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1948


 * 11th Photographic Group
 * Nov 1943-Oct 1944
 * HQ USAAF (ZI)
 * Squadrons deployed Worldwide
 * Squadrons deployed Worldwide Photo-Mapping; Combat Photo-Reconnaissance in CBI
 * Operated F-2 (C-45), F-3 (A-20), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-10 (B-25), F-13 (B-29)


 * 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance)
 * Jul 1944-Sep 1945
 * Eighth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated Mosquito F-8-DH. Mosquito PR Mk XVI, F-5/P-38, F-7/B-24, F-9/B-17, F-10/B-25, B-26G Marauder (Night Reconnaissance)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance, Weather Reconnaissance, Electronic Counter-Measures
 * Established as USAF 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, July 1965


 * 26th Reconnaissance Group
 * Aug 1941-Nov 1943; Dec 1946-Jun 1949
 * First Air Force; Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2
 * Operational Training Unit
 * Established as USAF 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, May 1952


 * 59th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 59th Observation Group
 * 1941-1942;1943-1944
 * First Air Force; Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated Light Observation Aircraft, P-39F-2
 * Coastal patrols, Operational Training Unit


 * 65th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 65th Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Oct 1942; Mar-Aug 1943;Dec 1946-Jun 1949
 * Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated Light Observation Aircraft, F-10 (B-25)
 * Coastal patrols, Operational Training Unit


 * 66th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 66th Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Apr 1944; Dec 1946-May 1951
 * Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40
 * Operational Training Unit
 * Reactivated as USAF 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jan 1953


 * 67th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 67th Observation Group
 * Sep 1941-Mar 1946
 * Eighth Air Force; Ninth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), P-51 (Escorts)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance
 * Reactivated as USAF 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1948


 * 68th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 68th Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Jun 1944; Mar 1947-Jun 1949
 * Twelfth Air Force (MTO); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated Spitfire PR XI, F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-27), A-36, P-39F-2
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance
 * Reactivated as USAF 68th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Oct 1951


 * 69th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 69th Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Jul 1946
 * Ninth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated Mosquito PR Mk XVI, F-3 (A-20), F-5 (P-38), F-6 (P-51), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 70th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 70th Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Nov 1943; Mar 1947-Jun 1949
 * Second Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 71st Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 71st Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Feb 1946; Feb 1947-Apr 1949
 * Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific); Far East Air Forces (Occ Japan)
 * Operated F-5 (P-38), F-10 (B-25)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 72d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 72d Observation Group
 * Aug 1941-Nov 1943; May 1947-Jun 1949
 * Sixth Air Force (Caribbean); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated B-18
 * Antisubmarine Patrols, Photo-Mapping


 * 74th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 74th Observation Group
 * Feb 1942-Nov 1945; Dec 1946-Jun 1949
 * Third Air Force (ZI); Air Force Reserve
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-6 (P-51), F-10 (B-25), P-40
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 75th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 75th Observation Group
 * Feb 1942-May 1944
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), F-6 (P-51), P-39F-2, P-40
 * Operational Training Unit
 * Established as 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in May 1966


 * 76th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 76th Observation Group
 * Feb 1942-Apr 1944
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 77th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 77th Observation Group
 * Feb 1942-Nov 1943
 * Third Air Force (ZI); Detachment in India, Feb-Jul 1943
 * Operated F-3 (A-20), F-10 (B-25), P-39F-2, P-40
 * Operational Training Unit: Combat Photo-Reconnaissance


 * 308th Reconnaissance Group (Weather)
 * Oct 1946-Jan 1951
 * Air Weather Service (MATS)
 * Operated WB-29
 * Weather Reconnaissance


 * 363d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 363d Fighter Group
 * Sep 1944-Dec 1945; Jul 1946-Jun 1948
 * Ninth Air Force (ETO)
 * Operated F-5 (F-5), F-6, (P-51)
 * Combat Photo-Reconnaissance
 * Redesignated as USAF 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jun 1951


 * 376th Reconnaissance Group
 * May 1947-Sep 1948
 * Strategic Air Command
 * Operated WB-29
 * Weather Reconnaissance


 * 423d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 423d Observation Group
 * Mar-Apr 1943
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Operated F-5 (F-38), F-6, (P-51)
 * Operational Training Unit


 * 424th Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 424th Observation Group
 * Mar-Apr 1943
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Not fully organized, disbanded


 * 426th Reconnaissance Group
 * Jul-Aug 1943
 * Third Air Force (ZI)
 * Not fully organized, disbanded


 * 432d Reconnaissance Group
 * Constituted as 432d Observation Group
 * Feb-Nov 1943
 * Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (ZI)
 * Operated F-5 (F-5), F-6, (P-51), P-39F-2
 * Operational Training Unit
 * Reactivated as USAF 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Jan 1954

Wings

 * 90th Reconnaissance Wing
 * Oct 1943-Oct 1945
 * Twelfth Air Force (MTO); Fifteenth Air Force (MTO)
 * Reactivated as USAF 90th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949


 * 91st Reconnaissance Wing
 * Oct 1943-Jan 1946
 * Fifth Air Force (Southwest Pacific)
 * Reactivated as USAF 91st Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949


 * 311th Reconnaissance Wing
 * Jan 1944-Apr 1948
 * HQ USAAF
 * Units deployed Worldwide
 * Redesignated as USAF 311th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Nov 1949


 * 325th Reconnaissance Wing
 * Aug 1944-Oct 1945
 * Eighth Air Force (ETO)
 * Redesignated as USAF 325th Air Division (Reconnaissance), Apr 1948-Jun 1949