1/72nd Academy Ventura Mk.V, 459 Sqn RAAF, N.Africa 1943, with Red Roo and Pavla resin update sets

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

               A few years ago I started to research the Ventura Mk.V`s of 459 Sqn RAAF and discovered that they had been re painted into a scheme similar to the Temperate Sea Scheme but still retaining their white undersides. A similar scheme was also worn by Baltimore`s operating in the same maritime strike/reconnaissance role and Marauders of 14 Sqn had also been painted with the same colours on top.  These colours appear to have been sourced locally as they were darker than the British produced colours and after viewing a colour photo of a Baltimore the colours were either locally sourced and intentionally darker to offset the inevitable fading due to strong sunshine, or were US supplied colours such as Neutral Grey and Dark Olive Drab? 

Like many of the Ventura`s operating from N. Africa 459 Sqn`s Ventura`s were locally fitted ( at the MU at Akoukir?) with Vokes sand filters in fairings very similar to those fitted to the Baltimore and one of their aircraft which carried nice looking nose art was FP683 `You Beaut' which also had huge locally produced anti glare exhaust baffles fitted for night flying. These baffles would have been of use during night bombing raids on Greek Islands in the Aegean. To cater for the 459 Sqn aircraft Red Roo have produced a very useful update/conversion set in both 1/72nd and 1/48th scales which includes the distinctive Baltimore style tropical air intakes, anti glare muffles plus other items such as  seats, turret details and brass radar altimeter antennae, plus a nice little decal sheet.

I would also like to have a go at sprucing the old Academy kit up with a new interior from Pavla which includes an open bomb bay and new cockpit and cabin details.  

 

Here is the kit plus the detail/conversion sets to be used; 

 

DSCF3425_NEW by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Here are the kit parts;

DSCF3428 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Here are the Pavla parts;

DSCF3429_NEW by Tony OToole, on Flickr

DSCF3430 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

And this is the Red Roo set;

DSCF3427_NEW by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

As reference,..... here is the subject of this build, FP683 `You Beaut';

you beaut 459 Sq personnel in early 1944 with Ventura FP653 You Beaut. by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Here is another squadron aircraft, showing how well the camouflage colours merge together in a b&w photo. Most had the smaller fuselage roundel as seen here, but some had a larger style too;

ventura-fp612-gambut-e8140482-d0d6-4eb7-9eef-b64e6c7c116e by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Many retained the cartoon`s applied onto the rear fuselage at the Burbank factory when they wore their original US Navy tri colour delivery scheme,..... by leaving this on a patch of US Intermediate Sea Blue, as seen here;

 4a- 'G' FP609 459 Sqn RAAF-Steve McKenzie, Maguire by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

After viewing many photos of 459 Sqn Ventura`s, the demarcation lines of the camouflage were found to match the standard pattern applied to earlier Ventura Mk.I`s & II`s and here is what I came up with;

16 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

17 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

18 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

And here is a 1/48th scale model of a 459 Sqn Ventura Mk.V that I built some time ago;

19b by Tony OToole, on Flickr

19a by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

These aircraft were equipped for single pilot operation with the original crew positions without the addition of the US Navy conversion set which allowed for a 2nd pilot and extra controls,... and were as seen here from the aircraft manual;

M8 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

So that is it for now,..... I`ll get started on this asap,

 

Cheers,

           Tony

         

 

Edited May 17, 2018 by tonyot

[Franz75]

Another one, nice. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!😀

I would recommend a engine cowlinks for this one, the ones from the kit are not the best. Check this one;

 

https://www.modelimex.com/1-72-ventura-pv-1-engine-cowlings-acad

 

OR 

https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/pv-1-ventura-engine-cowlings

I have it , and it looks nice. 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

Once again Tony this would appear to be another thread that deserves to be bookmarked. The references alone are terrific and it will all culminate with a superb 3D 1/72 replica in the end. 

 

Thanks for sharing and above all - educating us. 

 

Cheers..  Dave 

[JOCKNEY]

Goodness me Tony that looks like an awlful lot of extra parts, I hope they all fit in.

 

What I love about your builds apart from the finished article of course, is the depth of research and the chance for lots of us to learn something completely new about an era we naively thought we had some existing knowledge of !

 

Really looking forward to seeing this one take shape.

 

kindest regards Pat

 

[tonyot]

Cheers Fella`s,..... Hopefully I`ll get this one done before the end date,..... but there is a lot to do!

2 hours ago, Franz75 said:

Another one, nice. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!😀

I would recommend a engine cowlinks for this one, the ones from the kit are not the best. Check this one;

 

https://www.modelimex.com/1-72-ventura-pv-1-engine-cowlings-acad

 

OR 

https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/pv-1-ventura-engine-cowlings

I have it , and it looks nice. 

 

Cheers Franz,..... yes I used those nacelles on my last Ventura model,.... which also had a Pavla interior,..... I might get a set;

35 finished by Tony OToole, on Flickr

31b finished by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

And some construction pics, including the cowlings,.... which I initially fitted incorrectly an had to re do!;

15b by Tony OToole, on Flickr

22 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Cheers

          Tony

 

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

                 Don`t know whether I`ll get this one finished in time but I`ve started painting the interior, using Humbrol Grass Green rattle can for an undercoat for the Interior Green and black for the engines etc;

DSCF4062 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

I`ve also undercoated the resin parts;

DSCF4061 by Tony OToole, on Flickr

 

Cheers

           Tony

[stevehnz]

Hi Tony, you're not posting in stealth mode these days are you? Either that or my skim reading ability in the View new content page is going down the spout. I really like the look of this, I've bought the Red Roo set & a copy of "Desert Scorpions" so keen to give one of these a go, even got some of those nice cowlings, think I just need another PV.1 kit now.   I'll be watching the rest of this keenly, shouldn't take you more than a day or two should it? Just the job for guys like me with a short attention span.

Steve.

[Franz75]

Hi, I just have  received photo etched parts for Vendura from Eduard,  Canadian decals. I have the same cowling set too. Soon I will start to build one. Your is very nicely done  Tony.