National Air and Space Museum Archives

7th Photo Group History Photograph Album

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0669
Creators:
7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group
Dates:
1943-1945
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.24 Cubic feet
1 flat box
Repository:
The 7th Photographic Group (variously known as 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 7th Photographic Group ((Reconnaissance)), and 7th Reconnaissance Group) was activated on 1 May 1943 and assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 July 1943. The group was tasked to obtain information about bombardment targets and damage inflicted by bombardment operations; provide mapping service for air and ground units; observe and report on enemy transportation, installations, and positions; and obtain data on weather conditions. This collection consists of a photo album documenting the history and activities of the unit.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a 90 page photo album (unbound); each page is assembled from a montage of photographs, drawings (usually charcoal sketches), and/or typed text labels, with professionally hand-drawn graphic titles. The completed page setup was photographed and printed as a 9 x 9 inch copy photograph which was then mounted onto a 9.4 x 12.4 inch black paper album page. Mounts have been removed from the first 12 pages. Pages are numbered 1 through 91; page 80 is missing from the set.
The first portion of the album presents an overview of the reconnaissance unit's activities, showing bombardment damage to German industrial targets, airfields, and V-2 rocket launch sites, and reconnaissance support for the US Army advance across France following D-Day. Also depicted are the dangers faced by reconnaissance pilots (shown flying the Lockheed F-5 Lightning) from "Weather, Fighters, and Flak!" Later portions of the album show assorted views of England, including unidentified rural areas as well as noted landmarks in London, Oxford, Windsor, and Stratford-upon-Avon. There are several pages showing visits by celebrities including Bing Crosby. A couple of pages show assorted aircraft in flight, including the North American P-51 Mustang, Boeing B-17 Superfortress, and Supermarine Spitfire in USAAF markings.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is a single item which is in page number order.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The 7th Photographic Group (variously known as 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 7th Photographic Group ((Reconnaissance)), and 7th Reconnaissance Group) was activated on 1 May 1943 and assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 July 1943. Stationed initially at Mount Farm, England, in March 1945 they moved to Chalgrove, England, and then from October 21 through November 1945 were stationed in Hitcham, England; they were inactivated in England on 21 November 1945. The group was tasked to obtain information about bombardment targets and damage inflicted by bombardment operations; provide mapping service for air and ground units; observe and report on enemy transportation, installations, and positions; and obtain data on weather conditions. 7th Photo Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for operations during the Normandy campaign of June 1944; later that year they covered missile sites in France, carried out photographic mapping missions for ground forces advancing across France, and provided reconnaissance support for the airborne attack on Holland and for the Battle of the Bulge.

Administration

Author
Melissa Keiser and Patricia Williams
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unknown, material found in collection, NASM.XXXX.0669
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Melissa Keiser and Patricia Williams, 2004. Updated and encoded by Jessamyn Lloyd, 2023.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
7th Photo Group History Photograph Album, NASM.XXXX.0669, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
V-2 rocket Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aerial reconnaissance Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
North American P-51 Mustang Family Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Family Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Supermarine Spitfire Family Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photograph albums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Crosby, Bing, 1904-1977 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Air and Space Museum Archives
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
NASMRefDesk@si.edu