Lockheed Ventura IIA

Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1942 · bomber

The Ventura IIA was a further Lend-Lease batch of Venturas for the RAF, essentially equivalent to the Ventura II with minor equipment differences. It continued service in bomber and maritime patrol roles across multiple Commonwealth air forces.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Dorsal power turret aft of cockpit on angular fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

RAF Ventura IIA with Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines
Twin-fin tail assembly distinguishing Ventura from Hudson
Dorsal power turret aft of cockpit on angular fuselage

Identical in external appearance to the Ventura I and II; differences are in internal equipment and engine sub-marks. The twin-fin tail and mid-wing layout are the primary recognition features of all Ventura variants.

Specifications

The Lockheed Ventura IIA 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.

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

History

The IIA designation covered additional production batches supplied to the RAF and Commonwealth operators. By the time these aircraft reached squadrons, the Ventura was being transitioned out of the European day bomber role following losses over the Netherlands in 1943.

Variants

The IIA sits alongside the Ventura I and II in the RAF's naming sequence; the major production variants for US forces were the B-34, B-37, and Navy PV-1.

Where you'll see it

Operated by RAF Coastal Command and Commonwealth air forces including the SAAF, RNZAF, and RCAF in maritime patrol, anti-submarine, and training roles.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.