This country is at war with Germany.

We shall go on to the end.

I remember the sheets of flame which came up and almost blinded us from our guns.

Welcome to the World War II podcast where I delve into stories, strategies and individuals that shape the Second World War.

I'm Angus Wallace, and in this episode, historian Taylor Downing joins me to explore the remarkable work of reconnaissance pilots and photo interpreters during the Second World War.

These daring aviators flew perilous missions over occupied Europe, risking life and limb to capture the detailed aerial photographs crucial to the Allied war effort.

But capturing the images was only half the story. On the ground, a team of brilliant and inventive photo interpreters worked tirelessly pioneering a completely new science to decode

these pictures. From developing 3D photography techniques to uncovering enemy positions and

movements, their work provided invaluable intelligence that shaped the course of the war.

Taylor is the author of Spies in the Sky,

The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence during World War II.

And if you cast your mind back,

he also joined me in episode 226 to discuss Allied deception plans for D-Day.

Welcome back, Taylor.

So we're going to be looking at photo reconnaissance and photo interpretation during the war,

but I assume it's not new in 1939.

I assume 14 reconnaissance predates the Second World War.

Yes, it does go back a little way. I mean, in the very early days, you know,

every army confronting another army wanted to know what they were up against, you know,

what resources did the other side have. So the traditional way was you find the highest

spot on the area around where battle is going to take place. You ride up to the top,

you try and see what the size of the other guy's armies like, where they're situated. And then it's

...