1/48 PV-1 Ventura - Pacific Theatre of Operations II

[ozhawk40]

Username: Ozhawk40
First name: Peter
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Revell
Model Type: PV-1 Ventura
Details: RAAF 13 Squadron serial A59-85, "The Reluctant Dragon"
Aftermarket addons: Eduard masks resin wheels. True Details Cockpit Props. Quickboost gun barrels. Xtradecal X48097 decals.​

I recently received the decals for this one from Hannants. Xtradecal brand, they had been a while coming due to a reprint because of errors in the original printing. I've heard much about this kit and it's time to see this one for myself. I've just ripped open the bags, so join me for the build! 8)

Cheers

Peter

 

[ozhawk40]

Profiles and photos Images are from the adf serials site.

 

[Lucky13]

Nice one!

 

[Wurger]

A very interesting choice.

 

[Crimea_River]

Always look forward to your build Peter. Nice one.

 

[fubar57]

Great choice Peter. I built this for the Heavy Hitters II GB #18 and Boats did one in a Start to Finish. I don't recall any drama other than someone posted on-line about the exhaust profile. I built mine OOB but your resin bits should spruce it up nicely.

Geo

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great choice!

 

[Airframes]

Nice one Peter! I'll be watching this, as I intend getting the Revell RAF version when it's released in April - at last!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Often looked at getting one of these Peter, but it's size and room kind of put me off. Will watch you build this one with envy.

 

[mikewint]

Welcome to the build. I am looking forward to seeing your work

 

[Wayne Little]

great choice Peter.

 

[Catch22]

Good choice!

 

[Wildcat]

Very cool Pete, I want to build this aircraft myself so look forward to the finished model. From my compilation of 13 squadron op's, A59-85 flew 34 operational sorties comprising -
29 Oct 44 – convoy patrol - W/O Anning
30 Oct 44 – search for two missing P-40's – pilots and planes found – S/L Dennis
9 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - S/L Dennis
11 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Clarkson
13 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Sinclair
16 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – S/L Dennis
18 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – P/O Dargie
20 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Kaitanimbar bombed and strafed – 1 hut destroyed – P/O Wilson – 3x300lb bombs dropped
22 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - S/L Dennis
23 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - P/O Dargie
25 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – leaflets dropped – AA encountered – F/O Anderson
27 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Tafermaar village, Aroe Is bombed and strafed – F/O Goudie – 4x300lb bombs dropped
29 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Taberfane village bombed and strafed – 1 MG post silenced – AA encountered – F/O Davies – 4x300lb bombs dropped
3 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Davies
5 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Goudie
6 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Anderson
7 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - P/O Wilson
8 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O McCahon
12 Dec 44 – anti-shipping sweep – F/O Clarkson
20 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – S/L Dennis
21 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – P/O Dargie
23 Dec 44 – anti-shipping sweep – F/L Branigan
25 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – F/O Anderson
28 Dec 44 – armed reconnaissance – Aroe Islands – F/O Goudie
1 Feb 45 – armed reconnaissance – Tanimbar Islands – S/L Dennis
2 Feb 45 – armed reconnaissance – Solor and Alor Islands – leaflets dropped – S/L Dennis
3 Feb 45 – convoy patrol – F/O Davies
4 Feb 45 – convoy patrol – F/O Davies
4 Feb 45 – night armed reconnaissance – Asutbun Is, Babar Is, Retan Is, Moa Is, Leti Is – F/L Branigan
8 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Bima Harbour and Cartier Island – one 150ft barge destroyed – F/L Branigan
9 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Sawoe, Soembawa and Flores – 1 barge destroyed, 1 damaged – F/O Dargie
10 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Sawoe, Soembawa, Flores and Soemba – F/L Branigan
13 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Flores, Soemba, Soembawa and Saweo – 1 barge destroyed – F/L Branigan
15 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Flores, Soemba and Soembawa – 1 patrol boat attacked – F/L Branigan

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks Guys!

Nice one Peter! I'll be watching this, as I intend getting the Revell RAF version when it's released in April - at last!

I didn't know that. Might have to get me another then. Aussies flew that version in the Med.

Great choice Peter. I built this for the Heavy Hitters II GB #18 and Boats did one in a Start to Finish. I don't recall any drama other than someone posted on-line about the exhaust profile. I built mine OOB but your resin bits should spruce it up nicely.

Geo

Thanks Geo, I liked your build up of that Canadian bird.

Very cool Pete, I want to build this aircraft myself so look forward to the finished model. From my compilation of 13 squadron op's, A59-85 flew 34 operational sorties comprising -
29 Oct 44 – convoy patrol - W/O Anning
30 Oct 44 – search for two missing P-40's – pilots and planes found – S/L Dennis
9 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - S/L Dennis
11 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Clarkson
13 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Sinclair
16 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – S/L Dennis
18 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – P/O Dargie
20 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Kaitanimbar bombed and strafed – 1 hut destroyed – P/O Wilson – 3x300lb bombs dropped
22 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - S/L Dennis
23 Nov 44 – convoy patrol - P/O Dargie
25 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – leaflets dropped – AA encountered – F/O Anderson
27 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Tafermaar village, Aroe Is bombed and strafed – F/O Goudie – 4x300lb bombs dropped
29 Nov 44 – anti-shipping sweep – Taberfane village bombed and strafed – 1 MG post silenced – AA encountered – F/O Davies – 4x300lb bombs dropped
3 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Davies
5 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Goudie
6 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O Anderson
7 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - P/O Wilson
8 Dec 44 – convoy patrol - F/O McCahon
12 Dec 44 – anti-shipping sweep – F/O Clarkson
20 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – S/L Dennis
21 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – P/O Dargie
23 Dec 44 – anti-shipping sweep – F/L Branigan
25 Dec 44 – convoy patrol – F/O Anderson
28 Dec 44 – armed reconnaissance – Aroe Islands – F/O Goudie
1 Feb 45 – armed reconnaissance – Tanimbar Islands – S/L Dennis
2 Feb 45 – armed reconnaissance – Solor and Alor Islands – leaflets dropped – S/L Dennis
3 Feb 45 – convoy patrol – F/O Davies
4 Feb 45 – convoy patrol – F/O Davies
4 Feb 45 – night armed reconnaissance – Asutbun Is, Babar Is, Retan Is, Moa Is, Leti Is – F/L Branigan
8 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Bima Harbour and Cartier Island – one 150ft barge destroyed – F/L Branigan
9 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Sawoe, Soembawa and Flores – 1 barge destroyed, 1 damaged – F/O Dargie
10 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Sawoe, Soembawa, Flores and Soemba – F/L Branigan
13 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Flores, Soemba, Soembawa and Saweo – 1 barge destroyed – F/L Branigan
15 Feb 45 - armed reconnaissance – Flores, Soemba and Soembawa – 1 patrol boat attacked – F/L Branigan

Andy many thanks for the details. I've had a good look at the decals from Xtradecal and they are a bit short of some essential detail. A close look at image NWA0927 from the AWM taken 29/6/1945 indicates that the mission tally for the Dragon as 17 missions, five barges and one ship. The barges and ship are missing from the decals. I will need to add these.

I was just going through the A50's to compile the info to see what was what so your summary is very fortuitous! It appears that the armed reconnaissance/anti shipping sweep mission tally is 17 and the convoy/search patrols were not marked as bombs on the side of the aircraft. The Dragon was accepted by the squadron on 25/10/44, so missions commenced 4 days later. After Feb the aircraft seemed to be used for transport duties and in particular the carriage of spares which were in short supply for the Ventura. Eventually the upper turret was removed and covered over. Maybe there was a difference of opinion of what was destroyed or there were some gaps in the recorded history.

Cheers

Peter

 

[T Bolt]

Good one Peter

 

[Wildcat]

Hi Pete. I have also looked at the bomb tally versus the mission flown and noted the differences. My opinion is that on most shipping sweeps/armed recces targets of opportunity were bombed instead of bringing the bomb load home. Maybe the targets were so mundane and varied the diarist didn't bother to record them in the ORB. I know the B-25's of 2 sqn who were flying similar missions also frequently bombed targets of opportunity on shipping sweeps when no shipping could be found. Saumlaki on Tanimbar Island for instance seemed to be a popular target for that squadron. As for the boat tally, maybe they represent shipping attacked, not just destroyed as my list comes up with 5 in total.

 

[Airframes]

Peter, I've been waiting a long time for the RAF version! They were also used by the RAAF and RNZAF in the ETO, with 464 (RAAF) and 487 (RNZAF) flying alongside 21 Sqn RAF, in 2 Group, on some of the low-level raids where often, heavy casualties were experienced.

 

[ozhawk40]

Hi all

Time to get a move on with this one.

Pic 1 and 2
These are the accessories purchased with the kit. True Details Interior and Props. Eduard Masks. Quickboost gun barrels and not shown, Eduard resin and brass wheels.

The props with the kit have long drawn criticism for being the "toothpick" style, but originally they were the paddle blade type. Revell probably used a post war modified version on which to base their model.

Pic 3- 6
These are the references I could find to make a start on the cockpit. The layout as per the cut-away and the PV-1 Dash 2 manual shows something different to what Revell produced. Mainly in that the cockpit divider is incorrect and Revell have not put in a radio operators station, which is visible directly behind the pilot. It will be visible through the windows, so I'm gong to fab this. It looks to me that Revell have used the divider between the radio operator and the upper gunner station as the divider between the cockpit and the radio operator, if you understand. You can get a sense of this more clearly looking at the manual page and comparing with the kit parts later.

Pic 7
These are the true details resin parts for the interior. Immediately obvious is that they have replaced the somewhat incorrect kit bulkhead/divider with more detailed somewhat incorrect divider! Otherwise the side walls, throttles and seats are nice additions. The cockpit floor is almost identical to the kit part, so no gain there.

Pic 8 - 10
In this sequence, I have shown the modifications needed to the bulkhead to bring it back to 'stock'. I've modified the kit part, as the resin had very little visual advantage, and I intend to use that resin fire extinguisher elsewhere. (the Ventura had two cockpit fire extinguishers, but neither where located on the bulkhead.

Pic 11
In addition to the bulkhead, I need to replace the floor. Here I have used the stock part to mark out a piece of card and extend it much further rearward. The Revell version ends at the bulkhead, but I need to create a radio operators station and go back to the next bulkhead before the gunners station.

Pic 12
Okay here's with the floor and cut down bulkhead in place. I now have somewhere to put the radio operator behind the pilot. I have also scraped off the sidewall detail in readiness to add the resin cockpit sides.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Thay sums it up..