Nothing Venturaed , nothing gained

[Tony Whittingham]

Hello all,

This is the first time I've posted a WIP to Britmodeller. I happen to have 3 copies of the 1/48 scale Revell Ventura kit, one being the early PV-1, the other two being the RAF Ventura II boxing. Originally, I wanted to build a South African Air Force Maritime patrol Ventura, but this soon mushroomed into the RAF Venturas, one of which would have a 4-gun Boulton – Paul turret. 

The desired outcome is one RAAF Ventura with a 4 -gun turret in the Temperate Land Scheme, a  RAF special duties Ventura with Dark Earth / Light Stone / Night scheme, and a SAAF PV-1 in Dark Sea Grey / PR Blue or Sky paint, and Vokes filters.

Differences between the versions:

Type           Operator     Nose     turret       Engines         Other               Scheme

PV-1           SAAF           solid      none       Vokes Filters  External racks  DSG / Sky / PR Blue

Ventura II   RAAF           glass     4-gun BP                                                DE / DG /Sky grey

Ventura II   RAF             glass     2-gun BP                                                 DE / LS / Night

 

Project plan:

Source new decal sheets (castle and springbok) for SAAF Ventura. Obtain an additional set of propellers to replace the incorrect ones in the PV-1 boxing.

Swap PV-1 upper turret mount with one of the RAF Venturas, and blank this off for SAAF build.

Convert the bomber versions to single pilot operation, add detail to the W/Op compartment on all three. Add details to the bomber version noses.

Correct the engine nacelle fronts, add Vokes filters to the SAAF build nacelles.

Install the Boulton – Paul turret in the PV-1 upper turret mount, add to the Aussie Ventura.

Source an ADF football for the SAAF Ventura.

Plunge mould some teardrop bubbles for the Bomber Venturas.

First, an overview of the kit(s)

 

 

 

Decals sourced from MAVdecal in South Africa.

I don't necessarily adhere to the build process in the instructions. It's a man thing, so bear with me!

I re-profiled the Nacelle fronts , just to see what they looked like! The one on the right has been re-worked.

 

[rob Lyttle]

An epic project indeed, Tony, and a fair old pile of plastic to wade through! 

I've got a couple of them and I like the kits. 

And I like the planes! 

Two Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasps.... What a ride ‼️😍

The war surplus machines flooded onto the civil market, and that's what I'm interested in. 

Also looking at the possibility of making one of these kits over to produce a Lodestar..... Hmmmm. 🤔

I worked my way through several Lockheed Twins in 1.72 last year. I love them! 

So good luck with this lot. I'll drop in from time to time to see how things are going. 

Got plenty of shelf space?? 😎

[Tony Whittingham]

Yup, I have available space. I usually build in 1/32, or 1/24. I’d like to lay my hands on a Classic Airframes Hudson, but they’re rare these days.

[Tony Whittingham]

Hello All,

Here's an update to the build. As I said, I'm building in triplicate, so even if I show you only one assembly, I've built two others so that the Venturas arrive in RFI together. 

I'm concentrating on the Wireless Op and Bomb aimer stations, because not much can be seen otherwise. I'm using the PV-1 boxing as the pattern for now.

 

Here is the rear bulkhead of the wireless operator station at the wing spar. Anyone wanting to follow along as I build, feel free to use the diagram.

 

Bulkheads all made, and door scribed.

 

A start on the flight deck. Note the radio rack guideline above the window opening.

First, I had to locate the floor. In my opinion, Revell shows us where it is, at the bottom edge of the flight deck bulkhead. The Ginter book has a diagram that shows the W/Op compartment to be about 0.125" above the Bomb bay roof, almost dead on the flight deck bulkhead bottom. If anyone has an accurate dimension, that would be good to know.

Radio Rack structure and floor panels.

This is my first sticking point. The references all show the PV-1 (Ventura GR.V). This is Ok for the SAAF build, but the two bombers have British radio gear, either TR9F as quoted in the Ginter book, or TR1154 and receiver. I don't have much on the TR9F, but I do have a TR1154 in the spares. It looks as if this set is hung at an angle over the window. Anyone know?

 

Note the ejection pin rings! The floor supports are 0.040 x 0.100 strip. The floor sits on these.

Don't forget to drill out the hand holes in the bomb bay roof!

More updates shortly.

[bigbadbadge]

Ooooooooo very nice indeed, I like the look of your project and will watch with interest.  I have one in the stash that I would like to build as and RCAF Operation Polar Bear scheme which is quite s striking scheme, I have built one in 72 Nd scale but looking forward to building a 48 scale version.

Great start

All the best

Chris

[Ed Russell]

May I caution you against building three at once. I really like the Ventura but I got stalled on this build-in-triple.

Hopefully it is not dead and yours will inspire me!

[marky sparky]

Looking good. It's a really nice kit, I built mine last year, just be careful with the bomb bay doors if you have these in the open position, the doors are a nightmare for location!

[Tony Whittingham]

Hello @Ed Russell,

 I’ll finish these, or go down with all flags flying! Is there any chance you can tell me what the shrouded exhausts on the night bomber look like? DK decals refers to a Red Roo conversion, which I cannot find.

 

TW

[Ed Russell]

PM me your email and I'll send you some information. Also check an answer to your question in our page here on BM.

[rob Lyttle]

55 minutes ago, Ed Russell said:

Also check an answer to your question in our page here on BM.

Where is this "page ". ❓

Can you do a link, or give us a steer please? 

This is an area of BM that I know nothing about! 🤔

[Tony Whittingham]

Rob,

Look in the Vendor section. You have to scroll waaayy down from Home.😊

Red Roo.

 

Regards,

TW

[rob Lyttle]

Tony, you saw what I put on Ed's build thread, ref the flaps on these.? 

I don't know if it's relevant to what you are planning on doing with these airframes, but the 1.48 PV1 kit has the same issue with the flaps moulded in shape to match the top of the wing with the extension pieces on the trailing edges. Instead of being straight. 

👍

[Tony Whittingham]

Hi @rob Lyttle, I did see it.  Were I building only 1 Ventura, I might consider dropping the flaps, but 3 might be a bridge too far! As it is, the going’s on inside the bomber nose will be tricky.  4 ammunition boxes, cabling , and a floor to start.

I’ll explore the possibility, however!  
 

cheers,

TW

[Jonners]

Excellent! Very pleased to see that you plan to build a SAAF version, Tony. A much younger version of me was very impressed by a natural metal VIP Ventura on static display at Lanseria in the mid-80s. I remember it being moved from outside the museum workshop hangar onto the viewing terrace, where you would walk around under its wings. I also have very fond memories of a maritime patrol variant displayed alongside a Harvard, a Vampire and lots of armoured vehicles at Fort Klapperkop outside Pretoria; there were no fences and you could get right up to the exhibits (and inside the tanks...). I'll be watching this with interest.

Jon

[Tony Whittingham]

Hello All, Here's a fast update. the weather in eastern Canada hasn't been conducive to spray painting in my garage, so here are the bits and bobs that I've been working on in the meantime.

First, engines and nacelles. The kit supplied engines and nacelles have nicely engraved panel lines, but are almost featureless otherwise. In order to sharpen up the definition around the cooling gills, I reduced the thickness of the nacelle to engine mating surface to around 0.015", which requires tabs on the nacelle forward ends to support the joins. this has to be radiused back in a smooth curve to transition into the nacelle.

 

Then, there's the Vokes tropical filters, which should have a straight transition from the forward end of the gills to the top of the nacelle. I need to do more work here. This will also show the transition around the cooling gills.

 

I've been working on the radios, all the live long day...

On the left, there are 2 TR1154 sets for the bomber Venturas, comprising the R1155 receivers (top), and T1154 transmitters (bottom). In the middle, there's the SCR274N sets for the

SAAF PV-1. To the far right are 3 W/Op desks.

 

W/Op seats to go in front of the desks.

Boulton Paul type C turret bits. Arguably the ugliest defensive position ever found in a RAF bomber.

More to come later.

 

[marvinneko]

Looks amazing so far.

 

Any diagrams / dimensions for the WOAG station desk and chair or radios?

 

If they have a name and I can find dimensions on the 'net that's good too.

 

Just curious, no pressure. My wife does professional 3d modelling and printing and if I give her dimensions she can model and print stuff.

 

I'd throw any models she makes onto Thingiverse to allow anyone to download for free and print.

 

Also, I was thinking it would be cool to have the side door open. The Roffman archival footage of RCAF shows guys boarding a Hudson thru that door. I'd like to do a training version of the aircraft with guys coming out... arguing about a bad training flight

Edited December 27, 2022 by marvinneko

[Graham Boak]

Demmit sir, what's this WOAG when it's at home?  Sounds a bit Dagoish to me.  WOp/AG, please.

 

Re Ugly gun defensive position - Sidestrand.  Lincoln.  The BP turret is too big (with an excellent field of view for the gunner) but not a terrible shape.

[Tony Whittingham]

On 12/27/2022 at 3:54 PM, marvinneko said:

Looks amazing so far.

 

Any diagrams / dimensions for the WOAG station desk and chair or radios?

 

If they have a name and I can find dimensions on the 'net that's good too.

 

Just curious, no pressure. My wife does professional 3d modelling and printing and if I give her dimensions she can model and print stuff.

 

I'd throw any models she makes onto Thingiverse to allow anyone to download for free and print.

 

Also, I was thinking it would be cool to have the side door open. The Roffman archival footage of RCAF shows guys boarding a Hudson thru that door. I'd like to do a training version of the aircraft with guys coming out... arguing about a bad training flight

Hi @marvinneko,

The designations of the radio gear are in the post just above the radio sets. Naval Fighters no. 86 by Steve Ginter has good detail in this area. Most of the Venturas used by no. 34 OTU were English contract airframes so I would opt for the TR1154/1155 sets. I’ll see what I have on the W/Op desk as far as dimensions. It does fit between the cockpit rear bulkhead and the main spar bulkhead. hope this helps.

 If I remember correctly, there are manuals for the SCR274 sets on the net.

 

TW

Edited December 29, 2022 by Tony Whittingham
Added info.