Lockheed Ventura: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 05:09, 7 April 2023 edit Danielcoveney (talk \| contribs) 1 edit →‎PV-1 Ventura: Added details about PV-1 field modifications to significantly increase strafing volume from the nose of the aircraft. Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit ← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 06:26, 5 June 2024 edit undo 2603:8000:d300:3650:ad45:e6ee:7a8:8b7c (talk) sp
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Line 1: {{short description\|Family of bomber aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2023}} <!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. --> {\|{{Infobox aircraft begin Line 54 ⟶ 55: [[File:Lockheed Ventura.jpg\|thumb\|A PV-1 Ventura]] The '''PV-1 Ventura''', built by the Vega Aircraft Company division of Lockheed (hence the "V" Navy manufacturer's letter that later replaced the "O" for Lockheed), was a version of the Ventura built for the U.S. Navy (see [[#United States Navy\|Venturas in U.S. Navy service]] below). The main differences between the PV-1 and the B-34 were the inclusion of special equipment in the PV-1, adapting it to its patrol bombing role. The maximum fuel capacity of the PV-1 was increased from 1,345 gal (5,081 L) to 1,607 gal (6,082 L), to increase its range; the forward defensive armament was also reduced for this reason. The most important addition was of an ASD-1 search radar. Per CPO Philip Albert Coveney, VPB-137 Plane 13’s bubble turret gunner equipped with two 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns. Plane 13 was in the initial group sent to Funafuti The pilot’s last name was Silver. Early PV-1s field modified some planes by removing the RADAR with two0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns underneath the nose and bombardier's station with three 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns underneath the nose for a total of five nose mounted 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns. The bulk of their early missions were patrol, targets of opportunity, search and destroy, and close air support of infantry. The PV-1 performed well at very low altitudes in the heavy air. Flying above 100 feet was certain death when attacking AAA defended Japanese land based positions in support of infantry. This required the PV-1s to fly “on the deck” and “below the trees” to survive a pass. An additional benefit of high performance at low altitude allowed the PV-1s to bug out if fighters were present. The PV-1 could separate from the Japanese Zero fighter at low altitude. The Japanese Tony fighter was slightly faster than the PV-1 at low altitude but the tail gunner could prevent a Tony from lining up a shot at a PV-1 from behind with short bursts from the tail gunner. Early production PV-1s still carried a bombardier's station behind the nose radome, with four side windows and a flat bomb-aiming panel underneath the nose. Late production PV-1s dispensed with this bombardier position and replaced it with a pack with three 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns underneath the nose. These aircraft could also carry eight 5-inch (127 mm) [[HVAR]] rockets on launchers underneath the wings. Line 94 ⟶ 91: ===Royal Air Force=== [[File:RAF Ventura over IJmuiden NAN15Sep43.jpg\|thumb\|A [[No. 21 Squadron RAF]] Ventura attacking [[~~IJmuiden~~Ijmuiden]], February 1943.]] The first Ventura Mark Is were accepted by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) in September 1941, with aircraft being delivered to Britain from April 1942.<ref name="Frnclock p198">Francillon 1982, p. 198.</ref><ref name="Bowyer2 p254">Bowyer 1974, p. 254.</ref> By the end of August, enough Venturas had arrived to equip [[No. 21 Squadron RAF]], [[No. 487 Squadron RNZAF]] and [[No. 464 Squadron RAAF]].<ref name="Bowyer2 p255-6">Bowyer 1974, pp. 254–256.</ref> The Ventura flew its first operational mission for the RAF on 3 November 1942, when three Venturas of 21 Squadron attacked railway targets near [[Hengelo]] in the [[Netherlands]].<ref name="Bowyer p261">Bowyer 1974, p. 261.</ref><ref name="Carey p12">Carey 2002, p. 12.</ref> On 6 December 1942, 47 Venturas from 21, 464 (RAAF) and 487 (RNZAF) squadrons participated in [[Operation Oyster (1942)\|Operation Oyster]], the large daylight 2 Group raid against the [[Philips]] radio and [[vacuum tube]] factories at [[Eindhoven]]. Also committed to the raid were 36 [[Douglas A-20 Havoc\|Bostons]] and 10 [[de Havilland Mosquito\|de Havilland Mosquitos]].<ref name="Bowyer2 p263,6,3">Bowyer 1974, pp. 263, 266, 273.</ref> Line 102 ⟶ 99: ===Royal Australian Air Force=== In the United Kingdom, [[No. 464 Squadron RAAF]] formed (~~mixure~~mixture of Commonwealth personnel) at [[RAF Feltwell]] in September 1942 to operate the Ventura as part of [[No. 2 Group RAF\|2 Group]], Bomber Command; it converted to the de Havilland Mosquito in September 1943. In the Mediterranean, [[No. 459 Squadron RAAF]] was equipped with the Ventura V between December 1943 to July 1944, flying mainly anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols. In Australia, 55 PV-1s were supplied to the RAAF for use in the [[South West Pacific Area]]. [[No. 13 Squadron RAAF]] was the only operational squadron in Australia equipped with the Ventura. It operated primarily in north-eastern [[Queensland]] and then the [[Northern Territory]], and later serving in the [[Borneo campaign (1945)\|Borneo campaign of 1945]]. After the war, the squadron used its aircraft to help transport liberated [[Prisoner of war#Empire of Japan\|prisoners of war]]. Line 125 ⟶ 122: The first 19 RB-34s that arrived by sea from the U.S. in June had much equipment either missing or damaged. Six airworthy machines were hurriedly produced by cannibalization and sent into action with [[No. 3 Squadron RNZAF]] in [[Fiji]]. On 26 June the first PV-1s were flown to [[Whenuapai]] and [[No. 1 Squadron RNZAF]] was able to convert to 18 of these by 1 August, then replacing the mixed 3 Squadron in action at [[Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)\|Henderson Field]], [[Guadalcanal]] in late October. By this time [[No. 2 Squadron RNZAF]] at [[Ohakea]] and [[No. 9 Squadron RNZAF]] were also using the type. The following year [[No. 4 Squadron RNZAF]] and [[No. 8 Squadron RNZAF]] also received Venturas. Some squadrons were retained on ''garrison'' duty while others followed the allied advance to [[Emirau]] and [[Green Island, Papua New Guinea\|Green Island]] and to [[New Britain]]. RNZAF Venturas were tasked with routine patrols, anti-shipping strikes, minelaying, bombing and strafing missions, [[air-sea rescue]] patrols, and photographic reconnaissance missions~~. In an apparently bizarre case of taking Lockheed's marketing slogan of '''The Fighter-Bomber''' too literally, even briefly, Venturas conducted fighter sweeps~~. RNZAF machines often clashed with Japanese fighters, notably during an air-sea rescue patrol on Christmas Eve 1943. NZ4509 was attacked by nine Japanese single-~~engined~~engine fighters over St. George's Channel. It shot down three, later confirmed, and claimed two others as ~~probables~~probable, although it suffered heavy damage in the action. The pilot, Flying Officer D. Ayson and navigator, Warrant Officer W. Williams, were awarded the DFC. The dorsal turret gunner Flight Sergeant G. Hannah was awarded the DFM. By late 1944 the Ventura began to be phased out of ~~front line~~frontline action as the RNZAF backed away from the Patrol Bomber concept, orders for PV-2 Harpoons were canceled after a handful of aircraft had been delivered. At VJ Day only 30 PV-1 aircraft remained on the front-line with No. 3 Squadron at [[Landing at Jacquinot Bay\|Jacquinot Bay]]. Planned re-equipment with de Havilland Mosquitos did not take place until after the cessation of hostilities. The last Ventura unit was No. 2 Squadron, which continued to operate PV-1 and PV-2 aircraft on meteorological duty until 1948. A restored RNZAF RB-34 (NZ4600) is owned by the [[Museum of Transport and Technology]] in [[Auckland]]. ===United States Army Air Forces=== Some 264 Ventura Mark IIs ordered by the RAF were transferred to the U.S. Army Air ~~Forces~~Force.<ref>Andrade 1979, p. 247</ref> Though some were used as anti-submarine patrol bombers under the designation '''B-34 Lexington''', most were used for training with various stateside units. Twenty-seven of these were used by the U.S. Navy for anti-submarine patrols as well; these were designated PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon. ===United States Navy=== Line 188 ⟶ 185: ==Operators== [[File:SAAF-Lockheed PV1 Ventura-001.jpg\|thumb\|Retired PV-1 at the SAAF Museum]] [[File:JMSDF PV-2.jpg\|thumb\|[[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]] PV-2]] ;{{AUS}} * [[Royal Australian Air Force]] 75 aircraft, 1943–1946 Line 270 ⟶ 267: [[No. 624 Squadron RAF]] [[RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge\|No. 34 OTU, RAF, operated from Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick]] ** Air Headquarters Iraq Communication Flight<ref>Lake, Alan 1999 p. 18.</ref> {{Div col end}} * [[Royal Navy]] 1 aircraft for evaluation only Line 313 ⟶ 310: {{Div col end}} ==Surviving aircraft== ~~==Survivors==~~ ===Australia=== Line 329 ⟶ 326: ;Under restoration * PV-1 33315 – under restoration by the Ventura Memorial Flight Association in [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]].<ref>[http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pv1venturaregistry/pv1ventura-33315.html "PV-1 Ventura/33315."] ''Warbird Registry.'' Retrieved: 1 June 2011.</ref> ===Italy=== ;On display Lokheed PV-1 Ventura Harpoon m.m.80074 – Museo Piana delle Orme - Latina - Italy ===New Zealand=== Line 350 ⟶ 351: PV-2 37466 – privately owned in [[Orange, California]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=6855C "FAA Registry: N6855C."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> PV-2 37507 - privately owned in [[Mesa, Arizona]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=86492 "FAA Registry: N86492."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> PV-2 37535 – [[Erickson Aircraft Collection]] in [[Madras, Oregon]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=83L "FAA Registry: N83L."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.ericksoncollection.com/aircraft/#/lockheed-pv-2-harpoon/ "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 37535."] ''Erickson Aircraft Collection.'' Retrieved: 21 August 2014.</ref> PV-2 37633 – Wingspan Air Heritage Foundation in [[Mesa, Arizona]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=7454C "FAA Registry: N7454C."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> PV-2 84062 – Stockton Field Aviation Museum in [[Stockton, California]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=6657D "FAA Registry: N6657D."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.twinbeech.com/PV2D84062.htm "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 84062."] ''Stockton Field Aviation Museum.'' Retrieved: 23 February 2014.</ref> ;On display B-34 41-38032 – [[Orlando Sanford International Airport]] (former [[Naval Air Station Sanford]]), [[Sanford, Florida]]. Aircraft is on loan from the [[National Museum of Naval Aviation ~~Museum~~]]. Restored by the [[Naval Air Station Sanford]] Memorial Committee.<ref>[http://www.nassanfordmemorial.com/ventura_restoration.htm "B-34 Ventura/41-38032."] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213191751/http://www.nassanfordmemorial.com/ventura_restoration.htm \|date=2012-02-13 }} ''NAS Sanford Memorial.'' Retrieved: 20 April 2011.</ref> <ref> [https://events.flysfb.com/] Retrieved: 30 June 2022 </ref> <ref>[https://floridawarbirds.com/2019/05/05/sanford-orlando-airport-pv-1-ventura-moved-to-new-location/] ''Sanford-Orlando Airport, PV-1 Ventura moved to new location'' Retrieved: 30 June 2022. </ref> PV-2 37230 – [[National Museum of Naval Aviation]] at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]] in [[Pensacola, Florida]].<ref>[http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/attractions/aircraft-exhibits/item/?item=pv-2_harpoon "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 37230."] ''National Museum of Naval Aviation.'' Retrieved: 10 April 2012.</ref> PV-2 37257 – [[Pima Air Museum]], adjacent to [[Davis-Monthan Air Force Base]] in [[Tucson, Arizona]].<ref>[https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/lockheed-vega-pv-2/ "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 37257."] ''Pima Air Museum.'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> PV-2 37492 – painted (yellow) and marked "Air Tropic Island Charters" at Mayday Golf in [[North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]].<ref>[http://maydaygolf.com/ "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 37492."] ''Mayday Golf.'' Retrieved: 21 August 2012.</ref> ;Under restoration or in storage PV-1 33327 - Parts of the tail, propellers, wings and flight controls were preserved when the aircraft was inadvertently destroyed pending future display at the [[Orange County Great Park]] (former [[Marine Corps Air Station El Toro]]) in [[Irvine, California]].<ref>[https://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/the-city-of-irvines-lockheed-pv-1-ventura.html ''The City of Irvine’s Lockheed PV-1 Ventura''] ''warbirdsnews.com'' Retrieved 18 October 2023.</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|last=Estes \|first=Adam \|date=2023-11-28 \|title=The City of Irvine Neglects and Destroys PV-1 Ventura \|url=https://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/the-city-of-irvine-neglects-and-destroys-pv-1-ventura.html \|access-date=2023-11-29 \|work=Vintage Aviation News \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|last=Kang \|first=Hanna \|date=2023-12-11 \|title=Why Irvine quietly scrapped a vintage WWII PV-1 Ventura bomber \|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2023/12/11/why-irvine-quietly-scrapped-a-vintage-wwii-pv-1-ventura-bomber/ \|access-date=2023-12-12 \|work=Orange County Register \|language=en-US}}</ref> PV-2 37202 – in storage at the [[Fantasy of Flight]] in [[Polk City, Florida]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=7483C "FAA Registry: N7483C."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> PV-2 84060 – in storage at the [[Cavanaugh Flight Museum]] in [[Addison, Texas]].<ref>[https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=86493 "FAA Registry: N86493."] ''FAA.gov'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref><ref>[https://cavflight.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=119 "PV-2 Harpoon/Bu. 84060."] ''Cavanaugh Flight Museum.'' Retrieved: 19 July 2021.</ref> To be moved to [[North Texas Regional Airport]] in [[Denison, Texas]].<ref>{{cite news \|last=Sullivan \|first=Cole \|date=1 January 2024 \|title=Historic Addison flight museum announces closure \|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/addison-texas-cavanaugh-flight-museum-closing/287-85fe72cf-3131-4919-88ed-e92d8cfa30c0 \|work=WFAA \|location=Dallas, Texas \|access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref> *RB-34 AJ311 – in storage at the [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] at [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]] in [[Dayton, Ohio]].<ref>{{cite web \|title=Airframe Dossier - Lockheed RB-34 Lexington, s/n AJ311 FABr, c/n 237-4449 \|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=14796 \|website=Aerial Visuals \|access-date=16 January 2022}}</ref> ==Specifications (B-34 Lexington)== Line 472 ⟶ 474: {{Lockheed Model 10 Electra family}} {{Lockheed}} {{AircraftDesignationNavboxShell {{USAF bomber aircraft}}▼ \|1={{~~USAAF~~USAF ~~observation~~bomber aircraft}} \|2={{~~USN~~USAAF ~~patrol~~observation aircraft}} ▲ \|3={{~~USAF~~USN ~~bomber~~patrol aircraft}} \|4={{ADF aircraft designations}} }} {{Authority control}}