Douglas A/B-26 Invader
PV-2
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Douglas A/B-26 Invader PV-2 |
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Ventura Patrol bomber Lockheed United States Navy Lockheed L-18 Lodestar The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War
II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises. It was developed from the Lockheed L-18 Lodestar
transport, as a replacement for the Lockheed Hudson bombers then in service with the Royal Air Force. The RAF ordered 675
Venturas in February 1940. They were delivered from mid-1942 onwards. The Ventura was very similar to its predecessor, the Lockheed
Hudson. The primary difference was not in layout; rather, the Ventura was larger and heavier than the Hudson. Venturas were
initially used for daylight raids on occupied Europe. They proved unsuited to this task, because (like many other bombers
used by the RAF), they were too vulnerable without long-range fighter escorts. They were replaced in this role by the de Havilland
Mosquito. The Venturas were gradually transferred to patrol duties with Coastal Command. The RAF placed a further order for 487 Ventura Mark IIs,
but many of these were diverted to United States Army Air Forces service. The U.S. Army Air Forces placed its own order for
200 Ventura Mark IIA, which were put into service as the B-34 Lexington. Later redesignated RB-34. In 1941 August, large orders for Venturas were placed with Lend-Lease
Act money. Among the orders were for 550 armed reconnaissance versions of the Ventura. This plane was originally planned to
be built under the designation O-56. The main differences between the Ventura and the O-56 were in the engines: rather
than the 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials of the Ventura, the O-56 used 1,700 hp (1,270 kW)
Wright R-2600-13 radials. Before completion of the first O-56, the U.S. Army Air Forces
dropped the O- category used to designate 'observation' (reconnaissance) planes. The O-56 was redesignated the RB-34B
(RB- for 'reconnaissance bomber'). Before the first of these flew, the design was redesignated again as the B-37, because
it used different engines. While 550 were ordered by the Army Air Forces, acquisition by
the USAAF stopped after only 18 were accepted, when the Army Air Forces agreed to turn over exclusive use of the Ventura to
the United States Navy. 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. 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. 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 in (12.7 mm) machine guns underneath the
nose. These aircraft could also carry eight 5 in (127 mm) HVAR rockets on launchers underneath the wings. The PV-1 began to be delivered in 1942 December, and entered
service in 1943 February. The first squadron in combat was VP-135, deployed in the Aleutian Islands in 1943 April. They were
operated by three other squadrons in this theatre. From the Aleutians, they flew strikes against bases in Paramushiro and
Shimushu, Japanese islands in the Kurile chain. Often, PV-1s would lead B-24 bomber formations, since they were equipped with
radar. In late 1943, some PV-1s were deployed to the Solomon Islands as night-fighters. The PV-2 Harpoon was a major redesign of the Ventura with
the wing area increased from 551 ft² (51.2 m²) to 686 ft² (63.7 m²) giving an increased load-carrying
capability. The motivation for redesign was weaknesses in the PV-1, since it had shown to have poor-quality takeoffs when
carrying a full load of fuel. On the PV-2, the armament became standardised at five forward-firing machine guns. Many early
PV-1s had a bombardier's position, which was deleted in the PV-2. Some other significant developments included the increase
of the bombload by 30% to 4,000 lb (1,800 kg), and the ability to carry eight 5 in (127 mm) HVAR rockets under
the wings. While the PV-2 was expected to have increased range and better
takeoff, the anticipated speed statistics were projected lower than those of the PV-1, due to the use of the same engines
but an increase in weight. The Navy ordered 500 examples, designating them with the popular name Harpoon. Early tests indicated a tendency for the wings to wrinkle dangerously.
As this problem could not be solved by a 6 ft (1.8 m) reduction in wingspan (making the wing uniformly flexible),
a complete redesign of the wing was necessitated. This hurdle delayed entry of the PV-2 into service. The PV-2s already delivered
were used for training purposes under the designation PV-2C. By the end of 1944, only 69 PV-2s had been delivered. They finally
resumed when the redesign was complete. The first aircraft shipped were the PV-2D, which had eight forward-firing machine
guns and was used in ground attacks. When World War II ended, all of the order was cancelled. With the wing problems fixed, the PV-2 proved reliable, and eventually
popular. It was first used in the Aleutians by VP-139, one of the squadrons that originally used the PV-1. It was used by
a number of countries after the war’s end, but the United States ceased ordering new PV-2s, and they were all soon retired
from service. Ex-military PV-1 Venturas from Canada and South Africa were converted
by Howard Aero in San Antonio, Texas in the 1950s and 60s as high-speed executive transports. The earliest conversions, called
Super Venturas, incorporated a 48 in (122 cm) fuselage stretch, extra fuel tankage, large picture windows,
luxury interiors, and weapons bays transformed into baggage compartments. The landing gear was swapped for the heavier-duty
units from the PV-2. Later versions, built in the 1960s, were called Howard 350s. At least fifteen PV-2s were further
modified, including cabin pressurisation under the designation Howard 500. A final PV-1 modification by Howard was
the Eldorado 700, with longer wings, a pointed nose, and streamlined engine cowlings. 387 PV-1s were used by the RAF as the Ventura G.R.V. They
were used in the Mediterranean and by Coastal Command. Some RAF aircraft were modified into Ventura C.V transport aircraft.
The Ventura Mark I was first delivered to the Royal Air Force in September 1941, and flew its first combat mission on 3 November
1942 against a factory in Hengelo, the Netherlands. On 6 December 1942, 47 Venturas engaged in a daylight, low-altitude attack
against Eindhoven, also in the Netherlands. This was the primary event that demonstrated the Ventura's weakness in such raids:
of the 47, nine of the bombers were downed. Following this tragedy, tactics were switched to medium-altitude raids. The Ventura
fared little better in this strategy. During one attack on a power station in Amsterdam on 3 May 1943, New Zealand's 487 Squadron
was told the target was of such importance that the attack was to be continued regardless of opposition. All ten Venturas
to cross the coast were lost to German fighters. Squadron Leader Leonard Trent, (later the last of the Great Escapers), won
the Victoria Cross for his leadership in this raid. It was never a very popular plane among RAF crews, and despite
the fact that it was 50 mph (80 km/h) faster and carried more than twice as many bombs as its predecessor, the Hudson,
it proved ill-suited to its task as a bomber. By the summer of 1943, the Ventura had been phased out of service in favour
of the de Havilland Mosquito. Its last mission was flown by No. 21 Squadron RAF on 9 September 1943. After leaving bombardment
service, a number were modified to be used by Coastal Command; they served as the Ventura G.R.I. A small number of Venturas were also used in other countries,
including Canada
the Royal New Zealand Air Force and South Africa. 55 PV-1s were used by the RAAF in the South West Pacific Area,
serving primarily in New Guinea. Initially, air crews and ground staff disliked the Ventura, preferring the B-25 Mitchell.
But in many cases, the PV-1 had developed a grudging respect from its operators. Venturas were in use 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, as well as by 1 Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario, and atPennfield Ridge, New Brunswick (RAF No.
34 Operational Training Unit). They were also flown at RCAF Station Yarmouth in World War II. A total of 21 Mk. I, 108 Mk. II, and 157 G.R. Mk. V were in service
during this period for a grand total of 286 aircraft. The South African Air Force also received some 135 PV-1s, which
were used to protect shipping around the Cape of Good Hope, and to bomb Italian shipping in the Mediterranean. They were used
by the South African Air Force up to 1960. From August 1942 No. 487 Squadron RNZAF, (operating in Europe
as part of the Royal Air Force), was equipped with the type, although losses (including on 3 May 1943 the loss of all 11 aircraft
attacking Amsterdam), lead to their replacement with the de Havilland Mosquito in June. The Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Pacific received 139 Venturas
and some Harpoons from June 1943 to replace Lockheed Hudsons in the maritime patrol bomber and medium bomber roles. Initially
Venturas were unpopular with the RNZAF, due to rumoured poor performance on one engine, the fate of Leonard Trent V.C.'s 487
Squadron (above) as well as the failure of the U.S. to provide New Zealand with promised B-24 Liberators. Despite that the
RNZAF Venturas came to be amongst the most widely used of any nations, seeing substantial action until VJ day over South West
Pacific islands. 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 cannibalisation 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, Guadacanal 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 and to New Britain.
RNZAF Venturas were tasked with routine patrols, anti-shipping strikes, minelaying, bombing and strafing missions, air-sea
rescue patrols, photographic reconnaissance and, in an apparently bizarre case of taking Lockheed marketing's slogan of The
Fighter-Bomber too literally, even (briefly) fighter sweeps. RNZAF machines did often clash with Japanese fighters, notably
during an air-sea rescue patrol on Christmas Eve of 1943. NZ4509 was attacked by nine Japanese single-engined fighters over
St. George's Channel. It shot down three, later confirmed, and claimed two others as probables, although being heavily damaged
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 frontline
action, as the RNZAF backed away from the Patrol bomber concept, orders for PV 2 Harpoons being cancelled after a handful
or aircraft had been delivered. At V.J. Day, only 30 PV-1 s remained on the front line with 3 Squadron at Jacquinot Bay. Planned re-equipment with Mosquitoes did not take place until
after the cessation of hostilities. The last Ventura unit was 2 Squadron, which continued to operate PV-1s and -2s on meteorological
duty until 1948. A restored RNZAF RB-34 (NZ4600) is owned by the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland. Some 264 Ventura Mark IIs ordered by the RAF were seized by the
U.S. Army Air Force. Though some were used as anti-submarine patrol bombers under the designation B-34 Lexington, most
were used for training with various stateside units. 27 of these were used by the United States Navy for anti-submarine patrols
as well; these were designated PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon. During the early months of 1942, the primary responsibility for
anti-submarine warfare in the United States was shouldered by the Army Air Force. This irked the Navy, as it considered this
region of battle its burden. To carry out such a task, the Navy was pursuing a long-range, land-based patrol and reconnaissance
aircraft with a substantial bombload. This goal was always resisted by the Army Air Force, which carefully protected its monopoly
on land-based bombing. This forced the navy to use long-range floatplanes for these roles. The Navy was unable to upgrade
to better planes until the Army Air Force needed the Navy plant in Renton, Washington to manufacture its B-29 Superfortress.
In exchange for use of the Renton plant, the Army Air Force would discontinue its objections to Naval land-based bombers,
and provide planes to the Navy. One of the clauses of this agreement stated that production of the B-34 and B-37 by Lockheed
would cease, and instead these resources would be directed at building a navalised version, the PV-1 Ventura. The PV-1 began to be delivered in December 1942, and entered
service in February 1943. The first squadron in combat was VP-135, deployed in the Aleutian Islands in April 1943. They were
operated by three other squadrons in this theatre. From the Aleutians, they flew strikes against Paramushiro, a Japanese island.
Often, PV-1s would lead B-24 bomber formations, since they were equipped with radar. In late 1943, some PV-1s were deployed
to the Solomon Islands. After the war the US Navy deemed many PV-1's as obsolete and
the aircraft were sent to Naval Air Station Clinton, OK to be demilitarized and reduced to scrap. General characteristics Performance Armament
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