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Re: There is an ad in Flypast for a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura.. It

Posted by Anthony Jarvis on Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:41:35 AM

In reply top Re: There is an ad in Flypast for a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura.. It posted by Elliott on Sat Nov 29, 2003 10:07:10 AM

Well...that about does it.....I've listened to you guys 'slag' the PV-1 Ventura over the last couple of days and figure I had better put my two-cents in before you all start to think like a famous aircraft restorer (who shall remain unnamed) once told me.."patrol bombers never won the war!"
It is that kind of attitude that has religated the less sexy aircraft and consequently their crews to the historical backwaters. It's no wonder they all feel forgotten and unappreciated.
The Ventura was used in all theaters of combat, on all the fronts (except the eastern) by 9 nations and soldiered on until 1960 when the SAAF retired their last example.
The aircraft was used as a daylight bomber, a tactical attack aircraft,a trainer, a patrol bomber, an anti-submarine aircraft, an anti-ship aircraft, a weather reconnasiance aircraft and a night fighter. Not bad for only 2,493 examples built.
Post war, besides continuing military service, it was used as the main airframe to launch a whole new field of business aviation and as an aerial platform to camera map major portions of the world.
In our files here at the Ventura Memorial Flight (www.rcafventura.ca) we have stories of at least 7 sub sinkings, multiple bombing runs, rescue missions and, yes, the occasional FW-200 Condor/FW-190/Ki-43 shoot down as well!
Not worth anything you say? O.K. .... I challenge you to find one completely stock example.
So before you guys relegate this aircraft (and other unknown workhorses)into historical obliviation, do your research and find out just what those guys in these aircraft actually did.

Nuff said....

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