Lockheed B-34 Ventura at MOTAT

[Dave Homewood]

I recently had the pleasure thanks to Norm McKelvey and Peter Wheeler to get up close and photograph the MOTAT Ventura. As such a view isn't often seen of this rare aircraft I thought people would like to see the photos here. it will soon be going for a full restoration to display standard so hopefully in the future I might get to see it in the workshops getting made to look new again.






I don't fully understand why this roundel has not been stripped with the rest of the rear fuselage. Someone mentioned it was deemed by the museum's conservator to be "historic paint" but I can assure you it's not wartime paint. When the Ventura was donated to MOTAT it did not wear an RNZAF roundel, that had worn off in the weather back to the original US star roundel, which was also worn and had dark blue around the star, so this light blue paint is a later addition (and innaccurate!) and the dark blue over the top is even more recent..

[Dave Homewood]

Inside we go, and to the rear of the aircraft to begin with, where we see the dorsal turret fittings hanging down and the ventral gun position. Apologies that the bright glare of the sun outside has affected the shots where it is streaming through loads of windows and holes. It's amazing actually how much light gets in there.








Any ideas what went into this cage/box?











Flare chute

[Dave Homewood]

The turret

[Dave Homewood]

The glare is like spotlights in some of the photos, sorry.

[Dave Homewood]

Details in the Cabin



Ceiling light














Details of the door handle




Looking into the next compartment, the Wireless Operator's cabin

[Dave Homewood]

Wireless Op's room











This is looking down vertically on the Wireless Op's seat, and the seat's back is swiveled backwards to the horizontal position










I showed all these photos to Warren Denholm and he pointed out a fair amount of the equipment in this area is exactly the same as in the Mosquito. As this aircraft was originally built for a British order under lend lease I guess that may explain it. No dount the PV-1 Venturas were a bit different in fit out.

[Dave Homewood]

The cockpit - not ruined by the glare because the windows are covered with black polythene. The glare on the dashboard is coming from the nose windows via a small gap in the panels. Nothing is actually missing, and it's not a reflection of the flash.

[Dave Homewood]

Looking up in the cockpit

[agalbraith]

Fantastic photos Dave! Great to finally see what she is like inside after all these years of her mounted up on high! Looks to be in pretty good nick considering. I think they got parts off the bellied RNZAF PV-1 still up in the Islands....man I wish they would bring her home!!

Thanks for going to all the effort to take and upload them for us Dave, good stuff mate!

Cheers
Anthony

[Dave Homewood]

Last lot, the navigator's position in the nose and some final bits and pieces









The seat back now down in the W/Op's station


Emergency door release on the main door I think

[Dave Homewood]

No worries Anthony. I was stoked to be able to get inside the Ventura as it had always been a great subject of curiosity to me, especially as I have had the chance to get inside three Hudsons in the past (MOTAT's NZ2031, Denys's NZ2035 at Ferrymead, and NZ2013 at Wigram while being restored.)

I was pleasantly surprised to see how complete NZ4600 is, and how much the team at MOTAT has to work with when they roll her into the restoration hangar. It's very reminiscent of the Hudson inside but not so cramped.

Hopefully these photos will help you to super-detail a Revell 1/48 Ventura Anthony?

[TS]

Thanks Dave and I have to agree with you on your comments as I to have always wondered how she looked inside after all these years.
A real time capsule..

[Dave Homewood]

I believe the aircraft was at least partially restored in the 1970's by Barrie East's team, but I don't know how much had to be restored and how much of this interior is original. I'd guess the RNZAF probably stripped most of the avionics equipment when they sold it off, so maybe this has been added in the restoration. Is anyone out there on the forum who was involved in the restoration?

[alanw]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for posting those Awesome photos.

We are truly blessed in this country to have such aircraft
in a Museum, and I know the staff and volunteers do such
amazing work on them.

In answering your query about the cage/metal mesh box in
the first set of photos, I'm thinking that it may be for
holding/storage of the oxygen bottles for the crew.
If the Ventura was built for a British order, then that
would make sense. The cage or mesh box was designed to stop
any fragments from exploding oxygen bottles (should they be
hit by rounds passing through the fuselage) whizzing around
the fuselage injuring/killing crew or destroying equipment.

I know the RAF 339E Brewster Buffaloes had them installed also,
as to whether other US Built British orders had them ?

Hope that helps?

Regards

Alan

[jjdavies]

A great set of photos. I wonder what went in the cylinder marked "ALCOHOL": rum or brandy! :-p On a more serious note, what was accessed through the hatch with the four indentations on the roof?

[baz62]

A very interesting post Dave. It's always a mystery as to what condition an aircraft in a museum is on the inside. looks like a few hydraulic system parts missing (where you see the group of pipes end at nothing)but overall she looks complete and in good condition. be great to hear those R2800s running again (but I know at least one engine is seized?)but I suppose that might be a step too far (not to mention expensive).
What was your impression of the aircraft externally? Much corrosion evident or not too bad?

[obiwan27]

Agreed, fabulous post Dave. thanks for the time taken to take and post the photos. As Baz says, she does look remarkably complete.

[ngatimozart]

Thanks Dave. Great to see a good detailed photo essay of the inside of the Venturer. At the navigators station in the nose, to the left in front of the navs seat there is a black vertical box shaped item. Is that a fold down nav table?

[vs]

Very interesting when you compare the pictures to the ones I posted of the PV2 Harpoon a month ago. It looks like the Harpoon was a 2 pilot aeroplane. I guess the Ventura and Harpoon have the same fuselage which I found quite large, especially compared to a Hudson.

[Dave Homewood]

I am glad you're all finding these shots of interest. I have no idea what that item is in the nose, I didn't venture any further forward than the steps as it was quite tight in there, and I wasn't entirely sure of my footing, so I just reached forward with the camera rather than accidentally step on something and break it or put my foot through an old floor board.

Most of the exterior still has paint on it, they have stripped the rare fuselage and tail and though it has sadly sat in the weather like that for a long time now it doesn't seem too badly affected at all, yet. I'm not expert though. There are bits of corrosion of course but there were there even when it lived in the Belfast hangar. So I guess some skin may need replacing and certainly some fittings. But overall it's not bad. My estimate is it's nowhere near as bad as the Avenger was, and certainly nothing like the Lodestar for corrosion and damage. Norm and his team will do a great job I'm sure.

Regarding the size the rear fuselage feels a lot roomier than the Hudson but i found the cockpit and nose seemed much the same size. That's the general impression, i may be wrong.