KITS 11/2020

Photo reconnaissance

Mustangs

During WWII, the USAAF used fifteen different aircraft specifically created for photo reconnaissance or mapping duties. These aircraft

were designated with the F prefix (fonetically

for Photo, as the P was already used for pursuit planes). The Mustang obtained the F-6

designation and 481 of these were manufactured.

The production started in July 1941 with F-6A

variant based on the initial Allison powered P-51

and culminated with F-6D and F-6K based on

their appropriate pursuit variants. For the in-

INFO Eduard - November 2020

stallation of the cameras, there were special

fuselage openings and housings created at the

Inglewood or Dallas factory and the aircraft

were than sent to the modification centres for

their camera and other special equipment installation process. For photo reconnaissance

purposes, two K-24 cameras were fitted, first

one being oblique, placed behind the pilot’s

seat and pointing to the left rear of the airplane, the other one was mounted in the tail

section and was vertical (to be pointed by the

pilot straight down). There were also changes in

radio or oxygen system installations (the long-range oxygen system was fitted). Alltogether

136 of F-6D and 163 of F-6K were built. Later,

a few P-51Ds were converted to the recce standard becoming FP-51Ds and RF-51Ds. The reconnaissance Mustangs were used in all regions,

where USAAF was operating and, as it kept its

guns and flight performance, it did not need

fighter escort. Thanks to that, several of the

recce Mustangs pilots become aces with more

than five aerial victories.

eduard

23