Revell 1/48 Lockheed/Vega Ventura PV-1
I like this kit and aircraft so much, I had to do another one, especially since I got such a good deal at a swap meet. The model represents an aircraft from VPB-133 based out of Iwo Jima in 1945 to interdict Japanese shipping. The octopus motif was the units hallmark and their identification.
The kit goes together well. Fit is good all around, albeit I did add some putty where the nose section mates to the fuselage to give it a more seamless appearance, other than that minimal sanding and filling.
Had I to do it over again, I would opt for the variant out of Attu Alaska with the Japanese kill markings on the tail. The Octopus was a bugger to get on even after cutting it in twain, the mating of the surfaces was a challenge. I also opted for open bomb bay doors and will be installing the bombs. I used Tamiya Rattle Can White Primer which really gives a nice appearance and surface for the paint to adhere to, what I didn't do was mask the slots where the wing joined the fuselage, as primer managed to work it's way into the cockpit and other areas and provide a nice "Speckle" affect on the inside of all the glazing. Lesson learned.
My forty two year old Pasche Air Brush decided not to play nice with the painting of the different colors. It just started acting up recently, I have been adjusting pressure and paint mixtures all to almost no avail, my buddy mentioned that it had probably reached it's time service limit.
The fuselage was painted using Testors Model Master Gloss Dark Sea Blue, Navy Blue Grey and Classic White. The wings were painted with Tamiya Dark Sea Blue which is a flat color, Testors Model Master Navy Blue Grey and Classic white. I refrained from using the Tamiya Panel Line Paint as it cautions using it on enamels. I have a sharp point pen and used that for the cowl flaps, but wish I hadn't. Another lesson learned.
Antenna Rigging was done using Model Kasten .06 Flex line and Bob's Buckles tubes and eyelets. The gun barrels in the forward gun pack are brass tubes, cut to size using the kit supplied barrels for a template and painted Testors Model Master Gun Metal.
Can't wait to get into another one of these in the Canadian scheme.
Very nicely done! The masking on the canopy is really nice and sharp, and I really, really like what you did with the antenna rigging. I'm going to have to check out Bob's Buckles.
Thanks Robert for your kind words and reply. I use pre cut masks these days. To me worth the extra money. I like the Montex the best but Eduard is good to.
I'd be lost without Bob's Buckles. A bit spendy but again, worth the outlay of cash for ease of rigging.
Very nice!
Thank you James for looking in and your compliment. Duly appreciated.
Great job. I really like this kit as it gives a top result without any drama.
Haslam: You are correct, no drama with this kit. Straightforward building, fun kit.
Great looking Ventura!
Thank you Robert for scoping out the model and leaving a nice compliment.
This is nice work, and the fact you had a couple glitches isn't a problem since you say "lesson learned." Nobody ever learns anything without the "glitches."
One thing to pass on, and this is to everyone doing USN WW2 airplanes (and not a complain here, this is just a good place to point out the information): "Navy Blue-Grey" is NOT the same as "Intermediate Blue." "Blue-Grey" is the color used on the early war scheme, "Intermediate Blue" is the color used on the tri-color scheme. Since all model paints have these, and they use the correct names, it's something that shouldn't be hard to keep straight when planning a project.
For example I would tell you to look at my Ju 87 progress. I used sharpie for the panel line shading, a HUGE mistake, and I came to regret it. But, now I know not to do it. So, the glitches are important.
I made the same mistake on one of my Lancaster models. Never again. Thanks for sharing that.
Thanks Tom for looking in and your observations. Who would have thought that the two colors were different? I will bear that in mind when I do my next Tri Color Scheme. Yes, the glitches, one would think after all these years I could do a "Glitch" free model. On to the next one.
Hello Mark ! @mkrumrey
We have a real treat on Imodeler today... not one, but TWO of these magnificent PV-1 planes have shown up in the headlines section. Yours looks fantastic and thanks for sharing it with us. In particular, I really like those buckles and how you made the antennae leads... The MG barrels are not too shabby either !
As far as the colors you used for the "Intermediate Blue", what Mr. Cleaver has stated is "technically" correct, but I can guarantee you that 95 percent of the people would not be able to pick them out correctly if they saw both color swatches sitting in front of them. Then if you add in some variables such as lightening them up a little for the "scale effect", and tossed in some fading caused by the sun and exposure to the elements, it becomes even harder to tell them apart.
Bottom line is this: You plane looks great as is. Don't lose any sleep over it Gunny... There's no such thing as a glitch free model. It happens to all of us. Me included.
Well done my friend, and "liked"...
beautiful
I have regretted not getting one of these kits, but great to see them getting built. you did a great job- thanks for posting, gives me some motivation to get a few more of my "almost finished" kits built!
Nicely done Mark, even with those "glitches" you mentioned she looks really nice. Always thought the Ventura looked great in the Atlantic white/gray motif may have to tackle mine in the future.
Thanks Louis, Bob, Dan and Tom for looking in and your comments on the build all duly appreciated.
@Dan: Get those almost finished kits built. You'll be glad you did. The Ventura's are available and appear on ebay on a regular basis plus at swap meets there are always one or two. It's a nice, get your mojo back sort of build.
@Tom: I too like that Atlantic scheme, I may have to put that on my list.
@Louis: no sleep lost, thanks for scoping it out and your comments. I painted a lot of PRC-25 and PRC-77's as a young Marine and we used whatever color of USMC Green was available.
Ha ha ...Roger, I hear you Lima Charlie... over ! I did a lot of painting in the Army too, but the things I painted were often a lot heavier than me, like the road wheels and sprockets on the tank I crewed. We used whatever colors the supply Sgt. had, and the Motor Sgt. told us to use ! If it doesn't move, paint it. If it moves, kill it...
I have seen various shades of OD Green "right out of the can", even with the same NSN on it... I'm sure you did too... We tankers used to "borrow" the batteries from PRC-77's... They were good for a lot of different things in the field, and they seemed to run forever, until you really needed them.
Take care bud.
That's why I don't get too wrapped around the axle over colors because as you mentioned, two shades of OD both cans using the same NSN.
Nice looking - always loved the Ventura and the Hudson. I did the 1/72 Academy Ventura - and may need to do another in RAF colors, I like them so much.
Thanks Greg: Those Academy kits go together nicely and make a nice model. Yes, the RAF one really shines and gets attention. They are neat ariplanes aren't they?
Great looking kit. I have a soft spot for the Vega/Ventura and have several in both 1/48 & 1/72. My dad was stationed in the Aleutians at the start of WW2, and I bet he saw a few of these in the flesh. I guess now you need to do another in the Attu scheme.
Thanks George for looking in and your comments. I bet your dad saw quite a few in action. There is a Harpoon at Falcon Field in Mesa AZ that is a reminder of what these aircraft looked like up close and personal Pretty cool looking. An Attu or Canadian will be my next one.