Le Lavandou - Aerial Recon Photo - July 1944

Extract from Aerial Photo in my collection of Le Lavandou beach (257)... with key existing building which identifies the photo.



Look carefully along the beach and you can just make out the anti-invasion defences.

Tim

Superb picture !

Spotted the ""Logis de la mer"".
Entouré, l’hôtel "logis de la mer'"

On the right,another hotel called at this time''Le grand hôtel'' and hidden,behind ,the" Hotel de la méditerranée",that became an hospital during the Dragoon opérations.
A droite,un autre hôtel appelé""'Le grand hôtel"" ,et juste a coté, ""l’hôtel de la Méditerranée""(caché),qui fut utilisé comme hôpital,pendant le débarquement."


The jetty in font,will be destructed,the 16 august,around 11am,by the germans.
La jetée,est encore en état et explosera le 16 août en fin de matinée, occasionnant beaucoup de dégâts,aux habitations: la plupart de la population est ,ce jour ,évacuée,cachée dans les collines.


Another example of the air superiority of the allies ! A big pillbox is on the center, of the 'Lavandou beach,and another one ,right under the photo taken,in a place called 'La villa Bourget".
On the left(not shown),pillboxes of the "pointe du Gouron''.
Un autre exemple de la supériorité aérienne des allies: photo prise en fin de matinée,a basse altitude,avec une multitude de blockhaus,dans le secteur: "villa Bourget" juste en dessous, a gauche,le blockhaus central de la plage du Lavandou,a gauche ,les points d'appui de la pointe du Gouron.

But the photo is taken at low altitude,during the day( the sun on back) !



Another pic,taken,right after the war period:you can see,the pillbox of ''Villa Bourget''(the big wall on top),the jetty (exploded), hôtel"" Logis de la mer"" ,on left,and' hôtel de la Méditerranée',and ''grand hôtel'' on the center of image.
Une autre image,prise après guerre,montrant les différents hôtels,avec ""la villa Bourget"" en haut de l'image(on voit les embrasures),et la jetée explosée.

https://2img.net/r/ihimizer/img197/9986/lelavandouphotoaerienne.jpg

Picture taken by what squadron ??Quel escadron a pris la photo ?



Regards

Philmil

Photo indicates Altitude was 200ft above sea level.
La photo indique une altitude d'environ 91 m.

Tim

Picture taken by what squadron ??Quel escadron a pris la photo ?


A+

philmil

philmil a écrit:

Picture taken by what squadron ??Quel escadron a pris la photo ?


A+

philmil

No Idea

My guess, given height is a fast flying fighter - perhaps Spitfire Photo Recon?

Perhaps someone here knows which squadrons were involved in photo Recon flights and what type of aircraft they flew.

Sorry I cant help

Tim

Thank you

Peut etre les P51 du 3rd PG ? may be the P51 of the third photo group ?

A+

philmil

philmil a écrit:

Thank you

Peut etre les P51 du 3rd PG ? may be the P51 of the third photo group ?

A+

philmil

I had a look through my aerial photos last night - I have several others which have the same reference code, date and height... if I assume that these were taken by the same aircraft... then we need to find something with two engines because one of the photos shows the propellor.

The reference number is - 23SG.649.5PG.23JULY44.1000.F12"200'(Confidential)

Any ideas?

Could 5PG be 5th Photo Group?

My interest in Operation Dragoon really relates to the British Airborne Pathfinders of 1st Independent Parachute Platoon of 21st Independent Parachute Company and their operation to secure the DZ at Le Muy... the collection of aerial photos and maps just happened by mistake when I got the tactical air plan and post operational report for the Provisional Troop Carrier Air Division... so I really know nothing much about the USAAF photo units or intelligence work carried out for this op.

Tim

I was thinking about the 5th photographic reconnaissance squadron(attached at the 3rd RG),with P38,based in Borgo(Corsica),but i'm not a specialist .

Regards

Philmil

[quote="Packhow75"]

philmil a écrit:

The reference number is - 23SG.649.5PG.23JULY44.1000.F12"200'(Confidential)
Any ideas?
Could 5PG be 5th Photo Group?

Well there you go, that's exactly it, it's all there in the data on the side of the shot. That's how you read it, as per regulations :

5th Photo Group, 23rd Photo Recon Sqdn, plane 649 (number within unit I believe),
taken July 23rd at 10:00 hours, at 200 feet altitude.
I believe the 'F12' is the focal of the camera, a common characteristic.

Maybe the exact typing is not exactly what you wrote above? I don't see the 'G' following the S maybe... Could it be that they are slightly appart?

regards,
BoM

Bravo!

Pour ma part,j'ai effectué une légère erreur que je corrige : la jetée du port n'a pas sauté a 11h mais a 13h, même jour.
A+

philmil

Photo Ref



Tim

Hi Tim,
Well, Can't explain the SG typing. Unusual, but it leaves no real doubt as to the Squadron though; 23rd PRS, 5th PRG.
BoM

(Je ne peux pas expliquer le marquage 'SG'. Pourtant, il ne laisse pas vraiment de doute concernant l'unité en question, la 23e Escadrille de reconnaissance photo de l'USAAF, du 5e Groupe)

et si le G n'etait pas tout bonnement un Q mal fait
ce qui nous donnerait 23 squadron ??
maybe the G can be a Q but badly write ?
in this case it would be 23 SQ for 23 squadron

5th Photographic Reconnaissance Group

Squadrons
15th Photographic Reconnaissance
21st Photographic Reconnaissance
22nd Photographic Reconnaissance
23rd Photographic Reconnaissance
24th Photographic Reconnaissance
32nd Photographic Reconnaissance
37th Photographic Reconnaissance
Brief History

Formed as the 5th Photographic Group in Jul 1942. Re-designated as the 5th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group in May 1943, then the 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in Aug 1943. Transferred to the Mediterranean theatre in Jul-Sep 1943. Assigned first to 12th Air force and then later (late 1944) to 15th Air force. Flew missions over Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the Balkans, using F-5 aircraft. Also flew some photographic missions at night with B-17's and B-25's. Photographed areas near Anzio prior to the Allied landings. Provided reconnaissance services for 15th Air force's campaign against the enemy's oil industry, aircraft production, and communications. Also assisted the advance of ground forces in northern Italy by supplying intelligence on enemy installations in the area. Re-named the 5th Reconnaissance Group in May 1945. Returned to the US in Oct of that year. Disbanded on 6 Mar 1947.
Aircraft used by the Group
B-25 Mitchell
B-17 Flying Fortress
F-5 Lightning

in http://www.airrecce.co.uk/WW2/units/USAAF.html#5pr

26649 (F-5G-6-LO)
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html

Very interesting - thanks.

I've now worked out that the rest of the photos taken at a similar time are of Pamplonne Beach (North).

I will post some of these when I have time.

Tim

you're welcome
it's a pleasure for me to search internet to get informations