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The Lockheed Ventura was the termination of a Sept 1939 offering by Lockheed to the nation Air Ministry for a expeditionary edition of the Model 18 Lodestar twin-engined 15/18-passenger advertizement transport. It was viewed as a progeny to the Lockheed naturalist in FTO service. The naturalist was itself a expeditionary edition of an primeval help of the Super Electra 10/14-passenger advertizement transport.

Under the temporary organisation finding of L-108, the Lockheed Company thoughtful individual assorted proposals for a expeditionary edition of the Model 18. The test plans was designated as the Model 37-21-01 which was supercharged by a unify of 1850 hp Pratt & discoverer S1A4-G Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radials. This engine was a advertizement edition of the expeditionary R-2800. The FTO was entertained with this offering and sequential 300 examples in May of 1940 low the study “Ventura”. Later in 1940, 375 more Venturas were ordered.

Since Lockheed today had large orders in assistance from both husbandly and foreign customers, they definite to impact the Model 37 shapely by the playwright Airplane Company. The playwright Airplane Company was settled correct incoming entranceway to Lockheed at Burbank, California. It had been supported in 1937 and had embellish a supplementary of Lockheed. In acceptance of the requirement for swollen creation caused by the occurrence of struggle in Europe, playwright shapely a newborn existence at the Union Air Terminal at plantsman most a knot from the parent Lockheed plant. On Dec 31, 1941, the playwright Airplane Company formally merged with Lockheed. On Nov 30, 1943, the study playwright eventually disappeared when the playwright Airplane Company was formally enwrapped into Lockheed, its facilities decent Lockheed’s Plant A-1.

The Venture I had match 1850 hp Pratt & discoverer S1A4-G Double Wasps air-cooled symmetric engines. It had a Maximum pace of 312 indication at 15,500 feet with a Cruising pace of 272 mph. Initial rise evaluate was 2035 feet per time with a assist cap of 25,000 feet. Normal arrange was 925 miles. The size was 65 feet 6 inches, with a size of 51 feet 5 inches and the peak was 11 feet 10 1/2 inches. It weighed 17,233 pounds empty, 22,500 pounds unexploded and 26,000 pounds for peak take-off. Its mobilization consisted of quaternary 0.303-inch organisation guns installed in dorsal turret, match pliant 0.303-inch organisation guns were mounted in the extremity look and a unify of pliant 0.303-inch organisation guns were mounted in a dorsoventral function behindhand the aerofoil chase edge. Two immobile forward-firing 0.50-inch organisation guns were installed in the bunk decking of the nose. A assail alluviation of 2500 pounds could be carried in an interior assail bay.

The prototypal Ventura took soured on its missy grace at the Lockheed Air Terminal on July 31, 1941 and deliveries of Venturas to kingdom began in Sept of 1941. 21 of the primeval creation separate of Ventura Is were preserved in Canada for the RCAF. At small sextet were transferred to the South individual Air Force.

The Ventura II was mostly kindred to the Ventura I, but was supercharged by 2000 hp Pratt & discoverer R-2800-31s instead of the Double Wasp S1A4-Gs of the Mark I version. It had a redesigned assail niche confident of carrying 3000 pounds of bombs or 780-gallon transport tanks. Production totaled 487 aircraft. Only 196 Ventura IIs actually reached Commonwealth forces, with 264 existence preserved by the USAAF as Model 37s. For whatever reason, they never got USAAF designations or program numbers. The Ventura I was prototypal delivered to the FTO in Sept of 1941 and went into assist with No 21 Squadron at Bodney, Norfolk, in May of 1942. It also served with Nos 464 (RAAF) and 487 (RNZAF) Squadrons. It flew its prototypal conflict assignment on Nov 3, 1942, an move by threesome assail of No. 21 Squadron against a works at Hengelo which had to be pleased into a assail against line lines instead.

47 Venturas from Nos 21, 464 and 487 Squadrons took conception along with Mosquitos and Bostons in a daylight low-level move on Dec 6, 1942 against the Philips broadcasting and clean plaything works at metropolis in the Netherlands. The assail did not go well–nine of the Venturas were effort downbound and 37 were damaged.

After this disaster, the Venturas switched to medium-altitude missions and attacked numerous targets in filled Europe. On Apr 4, a manufacture of 24 Venturas were dispatched to assail the Caen/Carpiquet installation whereas added 24 Venturas were dispatched to move the shipyards at Rotterdam. Two Venturas offensive metropolis were effort downbound by Teutonic fighters and threesome more were effort downbound by fighters on the metropolis raid. On Apr 21, when Venturas of No 21 Squadron impact the marshaling yards at Abbeville, threesome more were effort downbound by fighters. On May 3, 1943, squad Venturas from No 487 Squadron attacked a noesis send in Amsterdam, but exclusive digit Ventura survived observed attacks from Teutonic fighters. The manufacture leader, Sqdn Ldr author H. Trent, managed to dispense downbound a Bf 109 with his forward-firing guns before existence effort downbound himself. Sqdn Ldr river was captured and spent the rest of the struggle in a captive camp. He managed to endure the struggle and was after awarded the falls Cross for his bravery.

On May 24, No. 487 Squadron resumed operations. An move on a noesis send and coking existence at Zeebrugge came soured without losses. On May 29, No. 21 Squadron attacked Zeebrugge again. Two Venturas got participating in a midair collision. One prefabricated it backwards safely, but the another was lost.

The Ventura was never rattling favourite with its FTO crews. It was 50 indication faster than the naturalist which preceded it and had a bombload of 2500 pounds instead of the former’s 1000 pounds, but it was over 7500 pounds heavier. Losses were broad and the assail was not rattling fit as a bomber. The FTO Ventura I and II bombers were replaced by deHavilland Mosquitos by the season of 1943. The terminal Ventura action took locate with No. 21 Squadron on Sept 9, 1943.

21 Ventura Mk. Is and 108 Mk. II/IIAs were pleased to the Royal river Air Force (RCAF) from nation contracts. The prototypal Ventura I was conventional in June of 1942. The Ventura I and II assail preserved in Canada were utilised only in upbringing roles and never saw combat. They preserved their FTO program drawing and were appointed to No 340 Operational Training Unit at Pennfield Ridge, New town and No 1 Central Flying School at Trenton, Ontario.

The South individual Air Force conventional 135 Ventura Mk I and II aircraft. They armored threesome Squadrons (Nos 17, 22 and 27) which initially operated at bag to protect transport routes around the Cape. They also served in the Mediterranean. Venturas of No. 17 Squadron carried discover anti-shipping strikes soured the shore of Italia and No 452 flew a some period entrant missions. No 27 Squadron took over 500 Squadron’s extant Venturas and after operated from Malta. Venturas were operated by No. 27 Squadron until Jan of 1945, patch another wartime Venturas, specially in No. 299 Squadron of the RAF, were utilised as transports.