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[[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.
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