The Spitfire had also a photo-reconnaissance (PR)variant, the PR sub-types. These were a true revolution for the, back then, traditional reconnaissance procedures as before World War 2, common knowledge was to use converted bombers into recon aircraft, given their longer range and sturdiness, specially when compared with a fighter. Those bombers, which were also equipped with defensive armament as they were an easy target to intercept, suffered heavy losses against the Luftwaffe and the German anti-air fire.
This was already foreseen by Flying Officer Maurice Longbottom, who, inspired by Sidney Cotton, issued a memorandum about reconnaissance over enemy territory during wartime at the Royal Air Force (RAF) in August 1939, just one month before the beginning of the war.
In that memorandum he reached to the conclusion that airborne reconnaissance was better suited to small and faster aircraft with high service ceiling in order to avoid detection and interception. He proposed the use of Spitfires with their armament and radios removed and replaced with extra fuel tanks and cameras. Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding approved his idea, so two Spitfires were sent to the newly created "Heston Flight", a highly secret reconnaissance unit. During the Phoney War, while the regular Spitfires flew from British bases, the first PR missions were flown from bases in France, which was initially known as "No. 2 Camouflage Unit". The first RAF high-speed, high-altitude photo-reconnaissance mission of the war took place on 18th November 1939 when Flt. Lt. Longbottom took from Seclin airfield, in France and photographed the German city of Aachen, from an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 m).
Those initial Spitfires were later baptised as "Mk. I PR Type A" and practically every single variant of the Spitfire had a PR sub-variant attached, with the Mk. I PR Type D being the first variant manufactured specifically for recon duties and not converted from existing airframes.
This type was difficult to flight, as the extra fuel altered the center of gravity, but its extra long range made it possible to perform reconnaissance missions over Stettin, Marseille, Trondheim and Toulon.
The PR Type F was an interim super-long range variant which was put into service in July 1940 while the Type D was becoming available. When operated from East Anglia, this type could reach, photograph and return from Berlin itself.
The PR Mk. IV were recon sub-variants of the Spitfire Mk. V.
The PR Mk. I Type G was the first mixed fighter-reconnaissance version configured for low-level tactical reconnaissance, similar to the Type E, which acted as its prototype. The first PR Type G were converted from Mk. I airframes and had their Merlin Mk. II engines replaced with Merlin 45s. Late PR Type Gs were converted from Mk. V airframes and were fully armed with 8 0.303 Browning machine guns in the wings.
In 1941 a new system of mark numbers was introduced for the PR types, so the Type C became the PR Mk. III, the Type D the PR Mk. IV , the Type E the PR Mk. V, the Type F the PR Mk. VI and the Type G the PR Mk. VII.
This was already foreseen by Flying Officer Maurice Longbottom, who, inspired by Sidney Cotton, issued a memorandum about reconnaissance over enemy territory during wartime at the Royal Air Force (RAF) in August 1939, just one month before the beginning of the war.
In that memorandum he reached to the conclusion that airborne reconnaissance was better suited to small and faster aircraft with high service ceiling in order to avoid detection and interception. He proposed the use of Spitfires with their armament and radios removed and replaced with extra fuel tanks and cameras. Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding approved his idea, so two Spitfires were sent to the newly created "Heston Flight", a highly secret reconnaissance unit. During the Phoney War, while the regular Spitfires flew from British bases, the first PR missions were flown from bases in France, which was initially known as "No. 2 Camouflage Unit". The first RAF high-speed, high-altitude photo-reconnaissance mission of the war took place on 18th November 1939 when Flt. Lt. Longbottom took from Seclin airfield, in France and photographed the German city of Aachen, from an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 m).
Those initial Spitfires were later baptised as "Mk. I PR Type A" and practically every single variant of the Spitfire had a PR sub-variant attached, with the Mk. I PR Type D being the first variant manufactured specifically for recon duties and not converted from existing airframes.
This type was difficult to flight, as the extra fuel altered the center of gravity, but its extra long range made it possible to perform reconnaissance missions over Stettin, Marseille, Trondheim and Toulon.
The PR Type F was an interim super-long range variant which was put into service in July 1940 while the Type D was becoming available. When operated from East Anglia, this type could reach, photograph and return from Berlin itself.
The PR Mk. IV were recon sub-variants of the Spitfire Mk. V.
The PR Mk. I Type G was the first mixed fighter-reconnaissance version configured for low-level tactical reconnaissance, similar to the Type E, which acted as its prototype. The first PR Type G were converted from Mk. I airframes and had their Merlin Mk. II engines replaced with Merlin 45s. Late PR Type Gs were converted from Mk. V airframes and were fully armed with 8 0.303 Browning machine guns in the wings.
In 1941 a new system of mark numbers was introduced for the PR types, so the Type C became the PR Mk. III, the Type D the PR Mk. IV , the Type E the PR Mk. V, the Type F the PR Mk. VI and the Type G the PR Mk. VII.
Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire#Variants
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(early_Merlin-powered_variants)#Early_reconnaissance_(PR)_variants
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_operational_history#Photo-reconnaissance
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire#Variants
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(early_Merlin-powered_variants)#Early_reconnaissance_(PR)_variants
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_operational_history#Photo-reconnaissance
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