In 1943 the 60th Squadron was a part of the North African Photo Reconnaissance Wing, which later became the Mediterranean Allied Photo Reconnaissance Wing.

In several flights during 1944 Mosquitos took many of the later discussed pictures of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps, in which the Holocaust was visible but was not recognized.

During its first years the squadron flew the British Aircraft Double Eagle, Martin Maryland, de Havilland Mosquito, and the Lockheed Ventura.

While it was based for a long period at AFB Waterkloof, Pretoria, due to ongoing runway and taxiway repairs at that base, the squadron operated temporarily for a period out of Johannesburg International Airport.

[1] The squadron appears to be in limbo, with conversion to the Airbus A400M Atlas cancelled.