Aeronautique Navale...1/48 Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, French Navy
9/2021
And my dad´s next model is finished. Wanted to avoid one of the usual blue schemes so we chose a French one in an atlantic scheme.
Revell USA kit with Berna decals. Painted with Tamiya XF-2 White and Gunze H317 FS36231.
Build thread here
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235088144-aeronautique-navale148-lockheed-pv-1-ventura-french-navy/
(Free)France operated the PV-1 and also the PV-2 from 1944 to 1961. The model shows an aircraft with Flotille 6F, which used only PV-1s from 1944 to 1947, stationed at BAN Agadir/Morocco in 1946.
Another Spreitzhofer masterpiece!
Love all this work (a lot of work!).
Nice job on the antenna threads, too!
Thanks a lot Spiros!
Got to like these maritime colour schemes, very attractive.
Thanks George!
Reinhard, @grimreaper
This looks amazing ! I followed the link you provided and went over to take a look at the build journal. It appears the model goes together quite nicely. Your Dad does some incredible work, and with you taking pictures and posting them up, you guys are a great team.
I have this exact same kit in the stash, and I was planning on building it up. Did your Dad use the kit supplied engine cowlings or did he replace them with something aftermarket ? This is the only grumblings I have heard about this kit. To me it's not a deal breaker, I'm just curious. When I build mine up, I will open the bomb bay doors, so thank you for posting how there was a small gap when the doors were closed.
They trained US Navy pilots at our local airfield during WW2. They flew SBD Dauntless, PV-1 and PV-2 aircraft, along with the "Navalized" version of the B-24 Liberator here at NAS Deland. In the very beginning, they also trained F4F, and F6F pilots here as well. But these fighters were soon transferred to NAS Daytona Beach (where there were also some F4U Corsairs and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver's stationed), and NAS Sanford, with Spruce Creek OLF being what they called an "Outlying Field". NAS New Smyrna was used to teach TBD and TBF pilots and crews. Sanford was primarily a fighter pilot training airfield.
I have found a single picture of an overall silver US Navy SNJ photo that was of a plane stationed here at NAS Deland. It had done a ground loop, and suffered some damage to one of the wings. I also have several pictures of SBD's lined up on the airfield, but not a single one of the PV-1 or 2's.
If you happen to run across any pictures of one of these aircraft I mentioned, please let me know, as I have always wanted to build up a model of a Navy plane from each of our local airfields.
You Dad has built another fantastic model of a plane that you don't see built all that often. Thanks for sharing it with us.
You know I definitely had to press the "liked" button... 🙂
As ususal, thanks a lot for your flattering words!
Yes, the kit is a fast forward build with no major problems. Canopy and rear ventral gun position glass don´t fit perfectly, some minor work neccessary, the rest has very good fit. I´ve read building the bomb bay open is a bit fiddly work, concerning the open doors.
Besides the decals my dad used no aftermarket stuff, all parts from the box.
If I come across your mentioned pics I´ll let you know 😉
Beautiful!
Thanks!
Really nice! That'll be quite a sizable kit at 1/48? Sorta JU88 sized?
Thank you Ross!
The model is bigger than I initially expected, yes, about the size of a Ju88.
That's a lovely scheme, and another beautiful build!
Thanks again Greg!
Great build by your dad, Reinhard.
This scheme is indeed a great choice to break the usual blue ones.
Complements to your dad.
Great scheme, Reinhard!
Congratulations to your dad Reinhard.
Great work particularly on the colour scheme.
Very nice!
Hello Reinhard,
Excellent model/Excellent photography.
Regards, Dirk.