Second World War aviation art prints of the Ventura aircraft. Our collection of prints and original paintings of the Ventura aircraft of World War Two.
The War Up North by Stan Stokes.
The fighting in the Aleutian Island chain has largely been neglected by many WW II historians, as has the role of the Lockheed Ventura. The Ventura was a high performance aircraft and not that easy to learn to fly. Like the B-26 Marauder the Ventura earned a poor reputation from pilots and crews during training, but eventually became an unqualified success in the field. Despite an uncertain debut for this aircraft, during the last two and a half years of the War Venturas played a major role in the Pacific War. The Ventura was a follow-on to the successful Lockheed Hudson that had been purchased by the RAF. Whereas the Hudson was a militarized version of the Model 14 the Ventura was a militarized version of the Model 18 Lodestar. The Ventura utilized powerful 2000-HP Double Wasp radials and the designers utilized a paddle-style propeller. The paddle props coupled with the closeness of the engine nacelles to the fuselage gave the Ventura a distinctive sound. The Ventura was well armed .........
Flight Lieutenant M.N. Sparks A.F.C., R.A.F., gained his pilots wings with the R.N.Z.A.F. in December 1941. Posted to the United Kingdom he joined the newly formed 487(N.Z.) Squadron in September 1942. Equipped with the Lockheed Ventura (a bomber version of the Hudson) the squadron was meant for medium-level daylight “circus” operations, but after losing 10 out of 11 aircraft and crews over Holland in March 1943 it was wisely decided to re-equip the depleted squadron with a different type of aircraft. In September 1943 the Squadron was again operational with the new Mosquito Mk.V1 aircraft, attacking daylight pinpoint targets such as V1 and V2 rocket sites and night intruder sorties against enemy airfields. From D-Day on, 487 sqn. in company with 464 (R.A.A.F.) and 21 (R.A.F.) was part of the 2nd T.A.F., operating behind enemy lines day and night, searching out enemy road convoys, railway troop trains, enemy airfields, etc. – all designed to cause maximum disruption to the enemy forces. Flt. Lt. Max Sparks completed 42 operational sorties with 487 squadron and returned to New Zealand in March 1945.
Leonard Trent was in the war from the start, and at a time when aircrew losses were appalling. In May 1943, before Trent took off for the Amsterdam power station raid, he said - Im going over the target whatever happens - Of the twelve Ventura aircraft that set out against murderous fighter attacks and heavy flak, only Trent made it to the target - he was as good as his word. Trent was shot down on the return home, but his VC ranks amongst the most courageous of all.
Gough Whitlam enlisted in the RAAF on 20th June 1942. After training as a navigator bomb aimer, Pilot Officer Whitlam joined 13 Sqn when they re-equipped with the Navy Ventura (PV1) at Fairbairn airport, Canberra in September 1943. In February 1944 the squadron moved to Coffs Harbour, fromwhich it searched for Japanese submarines and escorted Allied ships. Based at Cooktown Mission from June to August 1944 and then at Gove, Northern Territory, it bomber Japanese held islands in the Arafura Sea and as far as Lombok. The squadron was last based in Labuan. From March to September 1945 Goughs Ventura was the only Empire aircraft at MacArthurs headquarters in Leyte and Manila. They transported British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian Admirals, Generals and Air Marshals from and back to Morotai. Whitlams crew flew 750 hours on Venturas. He was discharged on 17th October 1945. Edward Gough Whitlam was born in Melbourne on 11th July 1916 and joined the Australian Labor Party in 1945. He won the Federal seat or Werriwa at a by-election in November 1952 and was deputy leader of his party from February 1960 to February 1967 and thereafter leader until December 1977. Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister of Australia from 5th December 1972 to 11th November 1975. He resigned from Parliament in July 1978 to pursue an academic career.
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