Comes with hand-signed C.O.A.

Mission: V-1 Rocket Site

Date: April 22nd, 1944

This incredible WWII aerial reconnoissance photograph was taken by the RAF No. 542 Squadron TheNo. 542 Squadron was a photographic reconnaissance unit that operated the Spitfire over northern Europe from its formation in 1942 until the end of the war.

No.542 Squadron was formed on 19 October 1942 when the Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron was split into five squadrons. No.542 was formed from A and E Flights, and was equipped with the Spitfire.

The squadron’s first role was to photograph the French coast between Cherbourg and Calais. From May 1943 the squadron split its time between this role and supporting Bomber Command, photographing their targets before and after raids. In the first half of 1944 the squadron focused on the Anti V-1 campaign (codenamed Noball).

In the period before D-Day the emphasis moved back to German troops, and for the rest of the year the squadron was used to support the armies fighting in France and the Low Countries. In December 1944 the squadron began to work alongside GEE-equipped Mosquitos. The Mosquito would be used to guide the PR Spitfires to targets that were obscured by clouds, and the Spitfires would then try and find a gap in the weather to take their pictures.

During 1945 the squadron focuses on targets in Germany, and in particular communications targets, such as railways or the German oil production and distribution system.After the end of the war the squadron was used to carry diplomatic mail, before being disbanded on 27 August 1945.While the location of this aerial reconnoissance photograph is unknown it was taken just days following the Allied D-Day invasion landings on the Normandy coast.

This original aerial reconnoissance photograph would make an amazing addition of any WWII collection.