Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1941 · bomber

The Lockheed PV-1 Ventura was a twin-engine patrol bomber and maritime reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar transport. It served Allied forces during World War II primarily in anti-submarine and overwater patrol roles.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Oval-section fuselage derived from Lockheed Lodestar airliner
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine mid-wing patrol bomber with glazed nose
Prominent dorsal turret behind cockpit
Oval-section fuselage derived from Lockheed Lodestar airliner

Distinguished by its twin radial engines on a mid-mounted tapered wing, a prominent dorsal gun turret, and the oval fuselage profile inherited from the Lodestar airliner.

Specifications

The Lockheed PV-1 Ventura has a length of 15.77 m (52 ft).
It has a wingspan of 19.96 m (65 ft).
Its maximum speed is 518 km/h (322 mph).
Typical crew: 4-5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed in 1940 at British request as a successor to the Hudson, the Ventura first flew in 1941 and entered RAF service in 1942. The US Navy adopted it as the PV-1 for patrol duties in the Pacific, where it proved effective in anti-submarine operations. Production totalled around 1,600 aircraft across all variants.

Variants

The PV-2 Harpoon was a substantially redesigned successor with a larger wing and greater range. The USAAF operated the type as the B-34 Lexington and B-37.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the RAF, RNZAF, RAAF, South African Air Force, and US Navy; postwar examples flew with Brazil and other nations well into the 1950s.

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