The first Mosquitoes to go into front line service with the Royal Air Force were the PR is in the W4054 to W4063 serial number range which began entering service with the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) at Benson in July 1941. The PRU had its origins in the pre-war establishment of the Photographic Development Unit (PDU) at Heston. This unit had been set up to form an experimental unit for the purpose of testing and developing new techniques for making photo reconnaissance sorties over enemy' territory. The basis of these new 'techniques' was 'high speed and invisibility', and the originator, Sidney Cotton, was put in charge. It has been claimed that prior to this, Sidney Cotton was involved in carrying out clandestine photography whilst engaged on what were ostensibly legitimate flights over Germany and Italy on behalf of the British Secret Intelligence Service. The aircraft he used on these flights are said to have been painted a very pale green colour which did not look out of place on a civil aircraft, but at the same time happened to be very good at concealing the aircraft from observers on the ground. At this time the unit seems to have been a civilian one working under contract to the Air Ministry, but this arrangement seems to have come to an end with the outbreak of war with the unit being absorbed into the RAF on or about 22 September 1939. Cotton was given the substantive rank of Squadron Leader, (acting Wing Commander), and placed in command.
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