Main Menu

United States' Lockheed PV-1 Ventura bomber¹
Lockheed PV-1 / B-34 Ventura bomber²

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura bomber:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura bomber:

Design

Lockheed proposed to the British Air Ministry to modify the Lodestar to make a replacement for the Hudson and the Blemheim.^1,2

The Ventura was to have a larger bomb load than the Hudson.¹

Prototype

The Ventura I prototype first flew on July 31, 1941.²

Production

Britain placed an order for 675 in 1940.² Deliveries of the Ventura I started in June 1942.²

• PV-1: 1,600²
• Total: 2,475²

Variants

• B-34 Lexington: USAAF designation for the maritime patrol version.^1,2
• B-37 Lexington: USAAF designation for the maritime patrol version.^1,2 Had Wright R-2600 Cyclone engines (1,700 HP).²
• GR.I: RAF Coastal Command designation.²
• GR.V: RAF Coastal Command designation.²
• PV-1: Solid nose.² Used in Pacific starting in late 1942.²
• PV-1 ??: Marine Corps night fighter with 6 forward firing guns and British AI radar.^1,2
• PV-1P: Photo reconnaissance.²
• PV-2 Harpoon: Increased range and load carrying.¹ Saw limited used and were phased out of the United States Navy in 1948.¹
• PV-3: British constructed Ventura II² / PV-1s built under contract.¹
• Ventura I: Had two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-S1A4G Double Wasp radial 18 engines (1,850 HP).²
• Ventura II: Had two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-31 engines.²
• Ventura Mk IIA: Lend-Lease supplied.²

Usage

Australia^1,2, Britain ^1,2, Canada², France², New Zealand (139)^1,2, South Africa (207)^1,2, and the United States² used the Ventura.

United Kingdom

Initially used, unsuccessfully, as a light bomber in the RAF.¹ It's main success came as a maritime patrol plane in the Coastal Command.¹

The Venturas were used successfully on a raid of the Phillips factory at Eindhoven.²

The RAF eventually received 394 Venturas.²

United States Navy

Based on the Coastal Commands success at using the PV-1 as a maritime patrol plan, the United States Navy decided to use it in the Pacific.¹

The US Navy used around 1,600 of the PV-1 Venturas.¹

United States Marines

In November 1943 the VMF(N)-531, first Marine night fighter unit, shot down it's first plane with a radar equipped PV-1.^1,2

Royal New Zealand Air Force

On December 24, 1943, Ventura crew in the No. 1 Squadron, shot down three Mitsubishi Zeros.¹

After World War II

Many were sold to other countries to be used in their air forces.¹ Some saw use as crop sprayers and executive transports.¹

	Lockheed PV-1 Ventura1,2
Type	Bomber1,2 Maritime patrol1
Crew	4 - 52
Engine (Type)	2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-31 Double Wasp1,2
Cylinders	Radial1
Cooling
HP	2,000 each1,2
Propeller blades	3 each1,2
Dimensions
Span	65' 6"1,2 19.96 m1,2
Length	51' 8"1, 51' 9"2 15.77 m1,2
Height	11' 10"1, 11' 11"2 3.63 m1,2
Wing area	686 ft2 1 63.73 m2 1
Weight
Empty	20,154 lb1, 20,197 lb2 9,161 kg1,2
Loaded	31,077 lb2, 33,924 lb1 14,097 kg2, 15,422 kg1
Performance
Speed @ 13,800' / 4,205 m	321 mph1, 322 mph2 518 kph1,2
Cruising speed	164 mph2 264 kph2
Climb	2,230'/minute2 680 m/minute2
Service ceiling	26,300'1,2 8,015 m1, 8,016 m2
Range	1,650 miles1, 1,660 miles2 2,670 km1, 2,671 km2
Armament
Nose	2: 12.7 mm MG1 2: 0.5" MG2
Dorsal turret	2: 12.7 mm MG1 2: 0.5" MG2
Ventral position	2: 7.62 mm MG1 2: 0.303" MG2
Under nose
Bomb-bay	6: 500 lb bombs1 3,000 lb2 6: 227 kg bombs1 1,360 kg2
OR	1: torpedo1
Under wings	2: 1,000 lb bombs1 2,000 lb2 2: 454 kg bombs1 907 kg2

Sources:

1. Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
2. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998

---