The fighting in the Aleutian Island chain
has largely been neglected by many WW II historians, as has the role
of the Lockheed Ventura. The Ventura was a high performance aircraft
and not that easy to learn to fly. Like the B-26 Marauder the
Ventura earned a poor reputation from pilots and crews during
training, but eventually became an unqualified success in the field.
Despite an uncertain debut for this aircraft, during the last two
and a half years of the War Venturas played a major role in the
Pacific War. The Ventura was a follow-on to the successful Lockheed
Hudson that had been purchased by the RAF. Whereas the Hudson was a
militarized version of the Model 14 the Ventura was a militarized
version of the Model 18 Lodestar. The Ventura utilized powerful
2000-HP Double Wasp radials and the designers utilized a
paddle-style propeller. The paddle props coupled with the closeness
of the engine nacelles to the fuselage gave the Ventura a
distinctive sound. The Ventura was well armed and could carry a
decent bomb load, and was fast enough to avoid many encounters with
opposing fighters. The Ventura entered combat with the RAF in
December of 1942. Despite the 300-MPH plus speed of the Ventura, the
RAF became disenchanted with the Ventura as a low altitude attack
bomber, and the USAAF stepped in to pick up the RAF production. The
USAAF designated some early Venturas as B-34s and some later
variants as B-37s. The US Navy negotiated an agreement with the
USAAF to acquire some Venturas as a compliment to its force of PBY
Catalina amphibians. The Catalinas were slow and vulnerable to
attack, and the Navy felt that a fast land-based reconnaissance and
patrol plane would be helpful. The Ventura also had enough offensive
firepower to be utilized in the pinch as an attack bomber on enemy
supply depots. The Navy adopted the PV designation for the aircraft
(P for patrol and V for Vega – the division of Lockheed that
produced the aircraft.) Some 1600 PV-1s were produced for the Navy
between 1942 and May of 1944. The Navy added fuel capacity – giving
the PV-1 a combat radius of 1600 miles. They also modified the nose
of the aircraft. The bomb capacity was 3000 pounds and it was
possible to carry a single torpedo in the bomb bay. The first Navy
deployment of the Ventura was to the Aleutians in April 1943 (VB-135
and VB-136.) These squadrons perfected radar-bombing missions and on
two other occasions attacking forces of Japanese Betty Bombers were
turned back by Navy Venturas. The wicked flying weather in the
Aleutians took as great a toll on our forces as did the enemy. Stan
Stokes’ painting is intended as a tribute to those that fought in
the War Up North.
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Collector Sized Lithograph:
$40
16" x 11 1/2"
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Giclee on Canvas:
$445
18'' x 27''
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