The 6007th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

unit. Its last was assigned to the 6007th Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at

Yokota Air Base , is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and United States Air Force (USAF) base in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo. It occupies portions of Akishima, Fussa, Hamura, Mizuho, Musashimurayama, and Tachikawa. The base houses 14,000 pers ...

, 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. Inactivated in 1957, mission taken over by the

67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing 67 may refer to: * 67 (number) * one of the years 67 BC, AD 67, 1967, 2067 * "67", a 1992 song by Love Battery from the album ''Between the Eyes'' * 67 (rap group), a drill music group from London * 67 Asia, a main-belt asteroid See also * 67th Re ...

Much of this unit's history remains classified as of 2012.

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 The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at the Hickam AFB portion of Join ...

, 11 Aug 1954 *

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organ ...

, 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 The 6021st Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It was discontinued on 8 December 1957. History The 6021st ...

, 1 March 1955 – 9 August 1957 : Attached to

: 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

: 1 July-9 August 1957 * 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 1 July 1955 – 9 August 1957 (attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing after 1 July 1957)

Stations

Yokota AB , is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and United States Air Force (USAF) base in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo. It occupies portions of Akishima, Fussa, Hamura, Mizuho, Musashimurayama, and Tachikawa. The base houses 14,000 personne ...

, Japan, 11 August 1954 – 9 August 1957

Aircraft

6091st Reconnaissance Squadron

RB-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a United States Army Air Forces long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models from 1943 to 1946. XB-29 : ''Section source: Baugher'' The XB-29, Boeing Model 345 ...

(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 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...

, 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 The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak is an American swept-wing turbojet-powered fighter-bomber. The RF-84F Thunderflash is variant of the F-84F that was designed for photo reconnaissance. The design was originally intended to be a relatively simple ...

, 1956-1957 * RF-100A Super Sabre (Slick Chick), 1957-1957

6023d Radar Evaluation Flight

* ECM

TB-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a United States Army Air Forces long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models from 1943 to 1946. XB-29 : ''Section source: Baugher'' The XB-29, Boeing Model 345 ...

(Electronic Countermeasures), 1954-1956

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Further reading * Brugioni, Dino A (2010), Eyes in the Sky: Eisenhower, the CIA and Cold War Aerial Espionage, Naval Institute Press, {{ISBN, 159114082X Military units and formations established in 1950 Four digit groups of the United States Air Force Reconnaissance groups of the United States Air Force