Military Reconnaissance

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The zigzag pattern of World War I trench systems could be viewed best from the air.
From the National Archives.

K-3B Camera

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The Fairchild K-3B camera was designed for both vertical and oblique photography. It could be operated manually or electrically. Developed in the 1920s, the K-3s were the standard Army and Navy cameras of their day and became the forerunners of many of the major World War II aerial cameras.

The Bridge on the "River Kwai"

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Located on the Khwae Yai River in Thailand, the bridge in the background was built by prisoners of war as a vital segment of a Japanese supply route. It was successfully bombed in February 1945 by an American squadron of B-24s.
Royal Air Force Photograph.

Bridge at Nijmegen

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Known from the book and movie "A Bridge Too Far", the bridge across the Waal River at Nijmegen, Holland was captured by the Allies, after many losses, on September 20, 1944.
Courtesy of CIA

Peenemunde

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Reconnaissance photos show Peenemunde, site of German World War II rocketry research. Arrow indicates V-2 rocket lying on its side. Photos such as these helped Allies to understand the nature of reported new German "secret weapons" research.

Courtesy of CIA

Rotterdam

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Aerial scene of World War II bombing around Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
From the Col. Roy M. Stanley Collection.

Monte Cassino

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Air photos graphically depict the destruction of the abbey of Monte Cassino in southwestern Italy. Monte Cassino was the target of several concentrated Allied air strikes and assaults in the early months of 1944.
From the National Archives

Corregidor

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Aerial view of Corregidor, an island strategically situated in the mouth of Manila Bay in the northern Philippines. After a gallant defense effort by U.S. and Philippine troops, Corregidor was surrendered to Japan in May, 1942, and served as a Japanese garrison for nearly three years.
From the National Archives

Rabaul

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Rabaul, located in the South Pacific east of New Guinea, was occupied by the Japanese in January 1942, and became a significant site for air and naval bases. Surrounded by volcanoes and possessing an excellent harbor, the Japanese stronghold was the target of repeated American air attacks which successfully neutralized its effectiveness.
From the National Archives

Fairchild F-1 Camera

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The F-1 was a World War II aerial camera designed for taking hand-held oblique photographs in rapid succession. It was used extensively for high altitude photography of military installations.

Auschwitz
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An aerial photograph from 1944 shows the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland.
From the National Archives.

Solomon Islands
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The Solomons are an island chain in the South Pacific east of New Guinea. During World War II, Guadalcanal and other islands in the group were occupied by the Japanese. Bitter battles in Guadalcanal's jungles resulted in the liberation of the island in 1943.
From the National Archives

D-Day
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Far above the raging battles on the Normandy beaches, airplanes recorded a reconnaissance view of the action. Prior to the invasion, a massive photointerpretation effort was launched to identify enemy defenses in great detail.
From the National Archives

K-20 Camera

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The K-20 was a lightweight handheld World War II aerial camera. Equipped with a high speed shutter, it was used between 1941 and 1946.

Early Techniques and Equipment

Military Reconnaissance (continued)