tonyot Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) Hiya Folks, My second 1/72nd scale Ventura from the Australia/New Zealand GB,..... this aircraft represents a B-34 Lexington/Ventura Mk.IIa from 13 Sqn RAAF, based in Australia during 1942. Now 13 Sqn is better known for operating the later PV-1 Ventura but it also operated some of the 20 B-34`s sent from the USAAF to Australia, all equipped with ASV radar with its Yagi antennae. Here is the subject of the model, SF-J,.... which I have made an educated guess at being A59-11, And some other RAAF B-34`s, to help illustrate the radar etc; A59-4 seen below was being used for trials work; The cockpit interior was scratch built to better represent the early Ventura variants, additional windows for the beam gun positions were cut out and guns added while the other windows were also increased in size, the under wing ASV antenna came from an Academy Catalina, the fuselage side antennae are etched and came from a High Planes Beaufort and the model was brush painted with decals coming from the spares box with codes from Fantasy Prinshop,....., here is the WIP; And here is the model; Thanks to Bill (Navy Bird) for the kit and to Chris (bigbadbadge) for sending me an RAF style canopy,.....cheers fella`s, Tony Edited March 31, 2021 by tonyot 44 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Looks fantastic Tony , great job and great photos too. I like that. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Looks fantastic Tony , great job and great photos too. I like that. Chris Thanks Chris,.... I was worrying that nobody liked it or that I had made a cock up somethere LOL! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) Excellent I always liked the shape of the Ventura. Never knew it was also called the Lexington. I must get my hands on one one day. As ever a very nice model. Edit: Just noticed your comment that maybe no one liked it. As if! There are certain modellers on this site who are 'must see'. You're one. Edited March 31, 2021 by noelh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) 20 minutes ago, noelh said: Excellent I always liked the shape of the Ventura. Never knew it was also called the Lexington. I must get my hands on one one day. As ever a very nice model. Edit: Just noticed your comment that maybe no one liked it. As if! There are certain modellers on this site who 'must see'. You're one. LOL,.... I wouldn`t say that! Glad you like it and yes, the USAAF named the Ventura Mk.IIa`s which it repossessed from RAF contracts after Pearl Harbour, the B-34 Lexington,.... later re designating it the RB-34 to show that it was to be used for `restricted' use,.... ie training duties and not for combat. Edited March 31, 2021 by tonyot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 50 minutes ago, tonyot said: Thanks Chris,.... I was worrying that nobody liked it or that I had made a cock up somethere LOL! No chance , as Noel said above your models are a must see fella, usually at work I might get a sneaky peak during the day but have been particularly busy so didn't get the chance to have a quick squiz round . Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 30 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: No chance , as Noel said above your models are a must see fella, usually at work I might get a sneaky peak during the day but have been particularly busy so didn't get the chance to have a quick squiz round . Chris Thanks bud. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Looks like Lockheed is back in full production again. Once again, another fine looking Ventura beautifully made and finished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 18 hours ago, cngaero said: Looks like Lockheed is back in full production again. Once again, another fine looking Ventura beautifully made and finished. Thanks Chris,.... I thought the same at one point when I had all three part built on my table too! I`ve got two part started 1/48th Ventura`s too! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Squadron Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 I like the way how you enhanced the Academy kit with the antennas and the guns. You invested a lot of care and effort in order to create this highly accurate Ventura. As I have said before, I am always impressed by the way how you research and build your projects Tony. 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 Always keen to see RAAF aircraft builds. Your Ventura is a work of art. Well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 OMG, how'd I miss this. Maybe I was thinking of the WiP rather than the RFI, or maybe I'm feeling a bit DOA lately. 'Tis a beauty Tony, I really like that scheme & reckon that the use these were put to was likely more appropriate than that the "Flying Pigs" were put to in Europe. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 19 hours ago, 112 Squadron said: I like the way how you enhanced the Academy kit with the antennas and the guns. You invested a lot of care and effort in order to create this highly accurate Ventura. As I have said before, I am always impressed by the way how you research and build your projects Tony. 👍 Thanks mate,.... I do enjoy the research side and try to incorporate it into my models where I can. 13 hours ago, kapam said: Always keen to see RAAF aircraft builds. Your Ventura is a work of art. Well done! Thnks mate,..... not sure about work of art,..... but glad you like it. 9 hours ago, stevehnz said: OMG, how'd I miss this. Maybe I was thinking of the WiP rather than the RFI, or maybe I'm feeling a bit DOA lately. 'Tis a beauty Tony, I really like that scheme & reckon that the use these were put to was likely more appropriate than that the "Flying Pigs" were put to in Europe. Steve. Cheers Steve,..... the Ventura`s were much better than the Blenheim`s that they replaced in 2 Group,.... and the casualties were nowhere near the same,.... but with aircraft like the Mosquito coming along it was becoming outclassed in heavily defended skies like NW Europe in 1943. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 Tony, The Ventura was made for this scheme and that wing planform was so distinctive. Another example of serious research and modeling skills! You never cease to both amaze and educate! Keep 'em coming! (Guessing that the RAF Ventura canopy was either from a Falcon set or the RAF boxing of the Academy Ventura kit?) Miike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 5 hours ago, 72modeler said: Tony, The Ventura was made for this scheme and that wing planform was so distinctive. Another example of serious research and modeling skills! You never cease to both amaze and educate! Keep 'em coming! (Guessing that the RAF Ventura canopy was either from a Falcon set or the RAF boxing of the Academy Ventura kit?) Miike Cheers Mike,..... yeah the scheme really suits it doesn`t it. The canopy came from the Mk.II RAF boxing,.... I had one in the spares box from a broken up model,.... and another BM`er kindly offerred to send me one he had spare,..... for the other Ventura I was building,..... the nose glazing with guns also came from the same broken model. ..... lways pays to save some bits from a scrapper if possible mate, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 Looks great Tony - how is the Academy kit in general to build ? Have long planned an RAF Ventura with the rather rueful looking duck on the side (Hells a Poppin’?). Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 Nicely done, Tony. How about a photo of all the B-34/Ventura models you've made from these Academy kits? A nice family photo. Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 9 hours ago, Pat C said: Looks great Tony - how is the Academy kit in general to build ? Have long planned an RAF Ventura with the rather rueful looking duck on the side (Hells a Poppin’?). Pat Thanks Pat,.... it isn`t too bad to build,..... have a look at the WIP,.... hopefully it will give you an idea. The weak point is the canopy,.... the turret is very basic too and there is a door moulded in the right side of the fuselage which needs to be removed,.... but the basic parts are nice. Later releases like this one are suffering from old moulds I think. ..... some say it was based on the old Frog kit? A 2 Group Ventura,.... go for it mate,.... it will look brilliant. 9 hours ago, Navy Bird said: Nicely done, Tony. How about a photo of all the B-34/Ventura models you've made from these Academy kits? A nice family photo. Cheers, Bill Thanks Bill,..... and cheers again for the kits mate,.... you are a star. A photo,.... I`ll try,.... but they are scattered around a bit and I`m struggling to get about at the moment. I might just dig out those in the cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, Navy Bird said: Nicely done, Tony. How about a photo of all the B-34/Ventura models you've made from these Academy kits? A nice family photo. Cheers, Bill Hiya Bill,.... I could only get to four of them,.... here they are,..... rear L-R,.... -25 Sqn SAAF in Italy,-operating with the Balkan Air Force in Italy, 1944. This model is built more from the box, although it is fitted with a BP 4 gun mid upper turret (from a Special Hobby Baltimore or Revell Hallifax) as the Ventura`s of this unit were fitted with modification kits sent from the UK to South Africa to modify them for the coastal role which included this 4 gun turret, ASV Yagi antenna and additional interior tankage,...... however after flying across Africa to Italy in 1944 the unit was re roled to the light bomber role (which had been `outlawed' over Europe for the type the previous year following disastrous losses flying from the UK with 2 Group) so the radar and extra interior tankage was removed. These aircraft also had the distinctive South African style air intakes above the engines and to replicate this I used Milliput. Many early Ventura`s in South Africa had their undersides painted Sky Blue and had A Type roundels applied; -34 OTU RAF in Canada,- Basically straight from the box but with a scratch built cockpit. -464 Sqn RAAF 2 Group in the UK- his Ventura Mk.II is from 464 Sqn RAAF, 2 Group of Bomber Command in the UK and I used the interior detail set and resin tail from Pavla, Neomega resin engine nacelles plus a spare BP mid upper turret from a Revell Halifax, which required the hole in the fuselage to be opened up. Also, see if you can spot the shark mouth -13 Sqn RAAF in Australia- Another straight from the box, with scratch cockpit, spares box extras. ; Cheers Tony Edited April 13, 2021 by tonyot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 They look great Tony! I can see the subtle differences easier when they're side by side. Great collection! 👍 Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 2 hours ago, Navy Bird said: They look great Tony! I can see the subtle differences easier when they're side by side. Great collection! 👍 Cheers, Bill Thanks Bill,..... I`ve added the two new ones to that original Commonwealth Ventura`s post to update it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) deleted,.... Edited April 13, 2021 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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