This is my version of the great Revell Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, the plane that replaced the Hudson. Apparently much reviled by the RAF (unmaneuverable and under-armed) , it was put to wide use by the USAAF (amongst others). This is BuNo 48891, flown by Lt. ‘Butch’ Mason, based in Attu, Alaska, 1944; part of numerous bombing sorties in the Pacific, the plane was finally lost at sea in 1945.
Revell’s kit is a fantastic build - large parts that fit together cleanly, unfussy engineering and a decent degree of detail. It was nearly all OOB, with just the addition of an Airfix pilot and a Tamiya navigator as no figures were included. Even though it was not designed for an in-flight option, the gear bay doors fit perfectly anyway - although the tail wheel doors needed a little surgery.
Once built, it’s a large canvas. With broad, nearly monochrome areas, it invites some invention in the paint work to provide some variety. These planes were flown to the point of exhaustion, and that was my aim - to convey a well-worn machine near the end of it’s functional life. I used a lot of Mission Model paints, which build in transparent layers pretty well. Masking in different ways (liquid masks, salt, tape, etc.) broke up the surfaces and the weathering across them - a really addictive process.
Thanks for looking!