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.
Aircraft operated
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