Lockheed Ventura: Difference between revisions

In the United Kingdom, [[No. 464 Squadron RAAF]] formed (mixuremixture 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.

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-enginedengine fighters over St. George's Channel. It shot down three, later confirmed, and claimed two others as probablesprobable, 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 linefrontline 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]].

Some 264 Ventura Mark IIs ordered by the RAF were transferred to the U.S. Army Air ForcesForce.<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.

[[File:JMSDF PV-2.jpg|thumb|[[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]] PV-2]]

** Air Headquarters Iraq Communication Flight<ref>Lake, Alan 1999 p. 18.</ref>

*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-1 33327 - InParts storageof 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> (reported destroyed)<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 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>

|1={{USAAFUSAF observationbomber aircraft}}

|2={{USNUSAAF patrolobservation aircraft}}

|4={{ADF aircraft designations}}