Lockheed Ventura
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A Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in 1943 in the Pacific. The bomber was also used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), which designated it the Lockheed B-34 (Lexington) and B-37 as a trainer. British Commonwealth forces also used it in several guises, including antishipping and antisubmarine search and attack.
The Ventura was developed from the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar transport, as a replacement for the Lockheed Hudson bombers then in service with the Royal Air Force. Used in daylight attacks against occupied Europe, they proved to have weaknesses and were removed from bomber duty and some used for patrols by Coastal Command.
At the start of the war, Lockheed proposed military conversions of the Lodestar for the RAF as replacement for the Hudson reconnaissance aircraft and the Bristol Blenheim bomber. The first British order was placed in February 1940 for 25 Model 32 as bombers. This was followed by an order for 300 Model 37 with Double Wasp engines, then for a further 375 later in 1940. Lockheed needed more production capacity and nearby Vega Aircraft Corporation was contracted for building the Ventura.
The Ventura was very similar to its predecessor, the Lockheed Hudson. The primary difference was not in layout; rather, the Ventura was larger, heavier, and used more powerful engines than the Hudson. The RAF ordered 188 Venturas in February 1940, which were delivered from mid-1942. Venturas were initially used for daylight raids on occupied Europe but, like some other RAF bombers, they proved too vulnerable without fighter escort, which was difficult to provide for long-range missions. Venturas were replaced by the faster de Havilland Mosquito. The Venturas were transferred to patrol duties with Coastal Command as the Mosquito replaced them in bomber squadrons; 30 went to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and some to the South African Air Force (SAAF). The RAF placed an order for 487 Ventura Mark IIs but many of these were diverted to the USAAF, which placed its own order for 200 Ventura Mark IIA as the B-34 Lexington, later renamed RB-34.
A total of 157 Ventura G.R. Mk. Vs were used operationally by the RCAF from 16 June 1942 to 18 April 1947 in the home defence coastal patrol role in both Eastern and Western Air Command. They were flown by 8, 113, 115, 145, and 149 Squadrons. A further 21 Ventura Mk. Is and 108 Ventura Mk. IIs were used in a training role at 1 Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario, and at RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick (RAF No. 34 Operational Training Unit) as part of the BCATP. A total of 21 Mk. Is, 108 Mk. IIs, and 157 G.R. Mk. Vs were in service during this period for a total of 286 aircraft. Wikipedia
Ventura - Kestrel Publications
Ventura G.R. Mk. V FN973
Ex-USN PV-1, their serial 33328. Delivered to No. 34 OTU at Pennfield Ridge, NB. Crashed into the Bay of Fundy on 10 Aug 1943, wreckage not recovered. Allocated to No. 4 Repair Depot for write off on 12 Aug 1943.Five a/c took-off for a low-level navigation cross country flight with a bombing and air firing exercise on return. Four a/c completed the exercise but the fifth, FN973 failed to return. The last communication from this a/c was received by R/T after the cross country had been completed and permission to proceed to the bombing range was requested and given. The a/c apparently crashed during a firing or bombing run.
The crew: Flight Sergeant (RNZAF) R. Laws (Pilot), P/O. R.A. Ledingham (Nav), Flight Sergeant (RNZAF) T.A. Albrey, (WAG) and P/O. J.C. Allen (AG), were declared as "missing".
Wreckage from FN973 was subsequently found by the Pennfield Crash Boat, M413 south of the Wolves. On 12 Aug 1943, the body of Pilot Officer R.A. Ledingham was picked up by fisherman south of the Wolves and was brought into Black's Harbour by the station's crash boat.
1943-06-14 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command 2019-08-20
1943-August-10 Accident: 34 Operational Training Unit Loc: Not Known Names: Albrey | Allen | Laws | Ledingham
1944-01-20 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20