6007th Reconnaissance Group

6007th Reconnaissance Group
RB-57A-1 Heartthrob reconnaissance aircraft
Active	1950-1957
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	reconnaissance
Insignia
6007th Reconnaissance Group emblem

The 6007th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 6007th Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It was discontinued on 9 August 1957.

History

Performed highly classified missions over the Soviet Union and Communist China and reconnaissance monitoring of the Korean De-militarized Zone (DMZ) during the early years of the Cold War. In 1955, the unit was equipped with Martin RB-57A-1 Canberra aircraft. The RB-57A-1s were RB-57A modified under Project Lightweight (later Project Heartthrob) with more powerful J65 engines, crew reduced from two to one, and all items not essential for the daytime photographic mission removed.^[1]

Inactivated in 1957, mission taken over by the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

It should be noted that much of this unit's history remains classified as of 2012.^[2]

Lineage

• Designated as the 6007th Composite Reconnaissance Group, and organized on 11 August 1954

Redesignated 6007th Reconnaissance Group (Composite) on 1 September 1954

Discontinued on 9 August 1957

Assignments

• Far East Air Forces, 11 Aug 1954
• Fifth Air Force, 15 Oct 1954
• 41st Air Division, 1 Mar 1955-9 Aug 1957.

Components

• 6021st Photographic Mapping Flight (Tactical Reconnaissance), 1 December 1953 (Attached from Fifth Air Force)

Redesignated: 6021st Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 March 1955-9 August 1957

Attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 1 July-9 August 1957

• 6023d Radar Evaluation Flight, 18 March 1954 – 3 July 1956 (Attached from Fifth Air Force)
• 6091st Reconnaissance Flight, 1 December 1953 (Attached from Fifth Air Force)

Redesignated: 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron, 20 December 1954-9 August 1957

Attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 1 July-9 August 1957

• 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 1 December 1953 – 9 August 1957

Formed by consolidation of 10th Photo Technical Squadron (Kadena AB); 35th Photo Technical Squadron (Clark AB) and 6th Photo Technical Squadron (Yokota AB).

Attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 1 July-9 August 1957

Stations

• Yokota AB, Japan, 11 August 1954 – 9 August 1957

6091st Reconnaissance Squadron

• RB-29 Superfortress (Photo-Recon), 1954
• RB-50B Superfortress (Photo/Weather Recon), 1954-1961
• RB-50E Superfortress (Photo-Recon), 1954-1961
• RB-50G Superfortress (ELINT/Radar Recon), 1954-1961
• RB-45C Tornado, 1954
• RB-57F Canberra, 1963-1968
• C-47 Skytrain, 1954-1968
• C-119G Flying Boxcar, 1954-1968
• C-130A-II Hercules, 1961-1968
• EC-97G Stratofreighter, 19631968

6021st Reconnaissance Squadron

• RF-86F Sabre (Haymaker), 1953-1956
• RF-80C Shooting Star, 1954-1955
• RT-33A Shooting Star, 1954-1957
• RB-57A-1 Canberra (Heartthrob), 1955-1957
• RF-84F Thunderstreak, 1956-1957
• RF-100A Super Sabre (Slick Chick), 1957-1957

6023d Radar Evaluation Flight

• ECM TB-29 Superfortress (Electronic Countermeasures), 1954-1956

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. 

Further reading

• Brugioni, Dino A (2010), Eyes in the Sky: Eisenhower, the CIA and Cold War Aerial Espionage, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 159114082X