Spitfire PR M VII (Mark I PR Type G), serial R7059 of B Flight No 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit Detachment at St Eval in flight
The PR Mk V was the next step in the evolution of photo-reconnaissance Spitfires, sent out to perform in cold environments. This variant emphasized the importance of low-level oblique photography, which proved useful but also revealed a significant vulnerability: low-level sorties made PR Spitfires susceptible to attack by enemy aircraft.
In response, the decision was made to arm the aircraft and redesignate them as PR Mk VII. The PR Mk VII essentially retained the Mk Ia fighter’s armament, including the laminated glass windscreen, while adopting the PR-style sliding canopy. It also kept the 29-gallon fuel tank behind the pilot for increased range.
For reconnaissance, the PR Mk VII could carry an obliquely mounted F.24 camera with a 14-inch focal length lens in the fuselage, positioned to face either Port or Starboard. Additionally, it was equipped with two vertically mounted F.24 cameras, one with a 5-inch lens and the other with a 14-inch lens, enhancing its photographic capabilities at varying altitudes. The inclusion of armament gave the PR Mk VII more operational flexibility, particularly for low-altitude missions, allowing it to fly just below cloud cover and defend itself if necessary.
Notable reconnaissance missions performed by the PR Mk VII include photographing the German cruiser Admiral Hipper while docked in Brest in January 1941, as well as images of the battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest in March and April 1941, respectively.