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1/48th Revell Ventura GR.V, Post War SAAF


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Hiya Folks,

                 I`ve had a post war SAAF Ventura GR.V planned for some time and I`ll try and get it done during this GB;

 

DSCF5360DSCF5361

 

I`ll be using resin paddle bladed propellers plus a turret blanking plate from Lone Star Models and maybe the entrance door too? As I don`t have a set of resin wheels I`ve cut some wheel disc covers from plastic card;

DSCF5363

 

Here is a closer view of the turret blank and door;

DSCF5364

 

And as the cockpit isn`t very accurate, I`ll be aiming to convert it into something resembling this, which I did in an earlier model;

M6b

 

The kit Cowling`s are not great, but I`ll be using them, here is a diagram of the cooling gills which may help a bit;

DSCF5365

 

Also the SAAF Ventura`s based in the Union had modified air intakes above the cowling and these will have to be replicated too;

W6W5

lockheed_pv1_ventura_6447_04_dvdb94975_1537118519Lockheed_Ventura_GR-V_-lsquo-6487-rsquo-_-22704183427-

The silver aircraft above was converted to a VIP transport for General Jan Smuts and is now at the SAAF Museum.

 

And here is the rough scheme that I`m looking to reproduce, Extra Dark Sea Grey with Sky undersides and yellow codes with Springbok roundels;

 

ventura 3

15- post war SAAF Ventura 6534, MT-Z- Aidan Owen4394154417_b756bc2155

 

And a big inspiration for my SAAF models is the late Ron Belling,..... a superb artist and historian of South African aviation,..... hare are some of his Ventura paintings;

45af65fc9735d_largeaaw100iimages (3)

 

Cheers

           Tony

Edited by tonyot
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19 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Ooohh! Another cracking scheme Tony.

It will be great to see a Ventura with springbok roundels on, definitely not something you see very often.

Cheers,..... yeah I`ve always fancied doing this one,...looking forward to starting it.

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11 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Didn't think you were into 1/48 scale, Tony. We will see how you weave your scratch building magic on this one!

 

:thumbsup:

I model in all scales and have done quite a few 1/48th Ventura`s already,...... cheers I`ll try my best! Got to say I`m looking forward to it,

 

Cheers

          Tony

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Hiya Folks,... a bit of progress,......

 

I`ve started on altering and adding to the cockpit,....... I have cut the incorrect bulkhead behind the pilot up to resemble the real thing, using the cut away section to form part of the bulkhead further back over the wing spar. The Wireless Operators table and bulkhead have been made from plastic card, as has the floor which was covered with silver contoured sweet wrapper which was painted black. Smaller sections of sweet wrapped were used for make non slip panels on the cockpit floor and on the stairs going down into the radar operator/bomb aimer`s position in the nose. I have yet to kit out the Wireless area with spare parts to make it appear more cluttered and to add the rest of the cockpit details, although I have added a set of curtains to the Wireless compartment window, made from painted Tamiya tape ;

 

 

DSCF5382

 

 

I have also built up the wings and engines,..... the latter have yet to be detail painted;

DSCF5384

 

Cheers

         Tony

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Hello,....me again,.....a little bit more progress!

 

Still building up the interior, the resin turret blank has been cut from its block and test fitted,....... it was a touch too small and a plastic card wedge was added to lift it slightly ;

DSCF5398DSCF5399

 

And the seats and things ready to add,...... note the spare seat added to the Wireless compartment too, which has had scraps of resin cut to size and painted;

DSCF5400

 

The engines have also been detail painted;

DSCF5404

 

Cheers,

            Tony

Edited by tonyot
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Hiya Folks,

                  Another update,...... I have joined the fuselage halves, added the nose and tail and dry fitted the wings which just click into place after the lugs were trimmed slightly. The resin turret blank wasn`t a good fit and as mentioned earlier, a plastic card shim as used to help out;

DSCF5407DSCF5409

 

A few views of the cockpit;

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And the resin turret blank;

DSCF5412

 

Cheers

          Tony

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Having reviewed some reference I have cropped the pilot`s bulkhead slightly wrong,..... so I`ll try and remove it and rectify it. Here is a drawing of the real thing,.... seen from the rear;

PV-1 Bulkhead behind pilot

 

And here are the crew positions from the pilots notes;

M8

 

And a view inside the real thing, seen from behind the bulkhead to the rear of the Wireless Ops position;

Wingspar bulkhead

 

And here is the Wireless Ops position, directly behind the pilot;

0049Ventura radio position

 

 

Cheers

         Tony

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12 minutes ago, Colin W said:

Some good details in there Tony. 

 

Good luck with the build 

 

Colin 

Thanks Colin,

                     Once I`ve finished the Catalina`s I`ll be cracking on with this one after Crimbo,

Cheers

         Tony

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Tony, are you sure the undersides are sky? I thought they were light sea grey - which would also be consistent with the colours of post war SAAF Spitfires (which were also dark sea grey on top with yellow markings). It’s v hard to tell from the pictures one way or t’uther.

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1 hour ago, Vlamgat9 said:

Tony, are you sure the undersides are sky? I thought they were light sea grey - which would also be consistent with the colours of post war SAAF Spitfires (which were also dark sea grey on top with yellow markings). It’s v hard to tell from the pictures one way or t’uther.

I see where you are coming from,....... they were originally EDSG/Sky,..as per the RAF Maritime Strike scheme,..... the top ref photo is Sky and the research of Ron Belling confims it,..... but they did transition to a two toned Grey scheme which eventually introduced PRU Blue too,........ the crashed Ventura does appear to have grey undersides,...... I`m just going for the early scheme. Before the Spitfire XVI`s arrived, finished in the EDSG & MSG the earlier high back Spitfire IX`s and Hurricane fighters used post war were Dark Earth with Sky undersides. 

Cheers

          Tony 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi Tony

Please accept my apologies for not having dropped in on this build before now.

As I know you are always struggling to find space for your completed builds, I hope making a Ventura in 1/48 isn't going to cause you any problems with Mrs O'T !

cheers Pat

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On 1/25/2019 at 2:22 AM, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Looks good Tony, so now you have the paintwork colours sorted have you gone any further with the build?

Cheer RAY,...... no I`ve not painted it yet,...... still stuck on building the South African style engine air intakes,..... thinking of making them from Milliput.....but I`ve not forgotten it,....... just working out the best way to do them.

 

All the best

                  Tony

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