Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Mathll · August 3, 2026, 9:41pm

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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.

Today, I am presenting a new aircraft that served with the French Naval Air Arm: the PV-1 Ventura.

In 1944, a Free French Naval Air Squadron was stationed in Morocco, operating PBY Catalinas on maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare missions against the last German U-boats still active in the region. Although the squadron’s crews had accumulated considerable flying experience since its formation in 1943, they had seen relatively little combat, spending most of their time conducting long-range patrols over the Atlantic and the western Mediterranean. Operating under American command, the French crews repeatedly requested a more capable aircraft that would allow them to participate more directly in the Allied offensive in Europe, as the Catalina was poorly suited to overland operations. In June 1944, the U.S. Navy finally agreed to equip the squadron with the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura.

Fourteen aircraft were transferred to the unit, and the crews immediately began converting to their new aircraft. By the end of 1944, the first operational missions were underway. Unfortunately for the crews, the Ventura saw little combat under French service. Rather than being deployed over occupied Europe, the aircraft remained primarily assigned to maritime patrol, convoy escort, and anti-submarine missions throughout the Mediterranean, while also carrying out occasional long-range reconnaissance flights toward the Canary Islands. Toward the end of the war, a second batch of PV-1s was delivered to the French Navy. However, these aircraft had already accumulated significant service time and were mainly used as a source of spare parts to keep the operational fleet flying.

Following the end of the Second World War, the remaining Venturas continued to serve for several years, although no longer in frontline operational roles. They were gradually reassigned to transport and liaison duties, carrying naval personnel, equipment, and senior officers between French bases. As airframe fatigue increased and spare parts became increasingly scarce, the number of airworthy aircraft steadily declined. The Ventura was progressively withdrawn from service throughout the late 1940s before finally disappearing from French Naval Air Arm service in the early 1950s, making way for a new generation of maritime patrol aircraft.

Characteristics

Length : 15.67 m

Width : 19.96 m

Height : 3.63 m

Mass :

Empty : 7 836 kg
Max : 12 360 kg

The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines, each developing 2,000 hp, enabling it to reach a top speed of 518 km/h and a service ceiling of 8,020 m. Its range at a cruising speed of 370 km/h is 2,670 km. The crew consists of six people: a pilot, a co-pilot, two gunners, a radio operator, and a flight commander.

Equipment

The aircraft is equipped with the ASD-1 radar (also designated AN/APS-3). This is an air-to-surface radar capable of detecting ships and surfaced submarines, significantly enhancing the aircraft’s detection and attack capabilities.

Furthermore, the aircraft is equipped with a bombsight that allows it to target objectives more effectively during level bombing runs.

Weapons

This aircraft features a particularly impressive armament suite, enabling it to defend itself effectively against enemy aircraft and engage various types of targets.

Defensive armament:

2 x 12.7mm machine guns (dorsal turret)
2 x 12.7mm machine guns (ventral position)

Offensive armament:

2 x 7.7mm machine guns (nose-mounted)
Under-wing HVAR rockets (x8)
3,500 lbs of bombs and depth charges in the bomb bay

(French aircraft were not equipped with the 22-inch torpedoes used by American aircraft and therefore never employed them.)

In-game, this aircraft would be an interesting addition to the French tree, providing a plane capable of engaging all types of targets, whether naval or ground-based, and defending itself effectively, thereby making a valuable contribution to the French lineup.

Picture

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