Chinese Navy Lockheed PV-1Ventura

[comrade harps]

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
a/c 895, First Naval Patrol Squadron (1NPS), Republic of China Navy (ROCN), 25 January 1946, Osan, UN occupied southern Korea



In 1942 the Republic of China had a Navy in name only. It was so insignificant that the Ministry of the Navy had been disbanded in 1941. During negotiations with the Allies, Chiang Kai-shek expressed a desire to re-establish the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). He proposed a revived riverine force for domestic action, plus an offensive blue water fleet to take the war to the Japanese Home Islands. Whilst the former appeared to be achievable in the near term, the latter was estimated as being at least a decade off. Nethertheless, providing the ROCN with a means of projecting power along China's long coastline was a priority for the US government, which authorised the US Navy to provide training and equipment under Lend-Lease terms to meet this goal.




However, the US Navy was reluctant to hand over combat vessels larger than PT boats to China. In this light, the US Department of the Navy determined that the quickest way for the ROCN to achieve an offensive combat capability was for it to form a naval air force equipped with twin-engined attack and maritime patrol bomber aircraft. The types were selected to form the ROCN's combat aviation force were the Piper FP-1 Black Pearl and the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura. Personnel were dispatched to America for training from late 1942.



The ROCN's First Naval Patrol Squadron (1NPS) was formed in June 1944. Shipped across the Pacific, they stood-up as a combat unit at Tacloban, Leyte, the Philippines, on 20 April 1945. The 15 PV-1s assigned to 1NPS were all low-hour early production examples, refurbished and updated. 3 were PV-1Ps with cameras for photo reconnaissance. The Chinese Venturas were unusual amongst PV-1s for having both the original 4 window nose field modified to accept the 3 .50 machine gun chin pack. Another update was the installation of 6 zero-length mounts for 5 inch HVAR rockets. After a series of work-up patrols with the US Navy's VPB-137, 1NPS began the job of attacking the Japanese forces occupying China. Bombing missions to Formosa, Hainan and patrols along the Chinese coast in search of enemy shipping were flown whenever weather permitted.



1NPS remained in the Philippines until December 1945. Its new home was the freshly built Osan Air Base in UN-occupied southern Korea. The target list now included sites on the Japanese Home Islands. Patrols were also flown to keep an eye on Red activities in the region. 1NPS was joined at Osan by the Black Pearl equipped Second Navy Attack Squadron (2NAS) in February, by now flying the FP-2 model. The two ROCN squadrons worked closely together, mounting many joint operations; 2NAS often provided escort and flak suppression for 1NPS. By then the ROCN was operating a Ventura and a Black Pearl squadron each from Chinese mainland bases against bypassed Japanese forces in Indo China.



The 2 ROCN Osan based squadrons supported the invasion of Honshu and remained in combat until the Japanese surrender in May 1946. By then 1NPS had lost 13 aircrew killed in action, but had realised Chiang Kai-shek's desire for the ROCN to take the fight directly to the Japanese heartland. Both 1NPS and 2NAS deployed to Shanghai in July 1946, where they remained on duty against Chinese Communists until May 1949. With Pudong under Red attack, the Navy's aviation assets were pulled back to Formosa (Taiwan) and re-organised as part of the Republic of China Air Force in 1950. The last Venturas and Black Pearls were retired in 1952, having been replaced by Lockheed P2V-5 Neptunes.




The aircraft modelled here, 895, was built in 1942. Assigned to training duties, it was relegated to ground instructional duties following an engine fire in 1943. The airframe was repaired and upgraded in early 1945 and delivered to the 1NPS in June. It was unusual in retaining the early production bombardier's nose, but converted to accept the chin mounted 3 x .50 cal Browning gun pack associated with late production PV-1s. A further change fixed the rear ventral .30 cal machine guns into a static position to be fired by the pilot; their use as rear defence against enemy fighters having proven to be of little value, they were now seen as defence suppression measures as a strafing Ventura climbed from a low altitude attack. As sighting from this gun position was no longer required, several Perspex windows were replaced by sheet metal. Only 7 early production Venturas received these modifications, all of which served with the ROCN.



895 is depicted as photographed before take off on 25 January 1946 for the ROCN's first strike against a target on the Japanese Home Islands: a small boat building and repair site at Tsuruga, on Honshu. Supported by 10 FP-2 Black Pearls from 2NAS flying escort and flak suppression, 12 1NPS PV-1s each delivered 4 x 250 lb and 2 x 500 lb bombs. 24 USAF P-51D Mustangs flew top cover before setting off on a strafing spree on the nearby port facilities as the Chinese aircraft departed. No aircraft were lost and no aircrew were injured, but a PF-2 was damaged by flak.



The PV-1s of 1NPS went on to support the Allied invasion of Honshu, flying both level bombing and low altitude attack missions.
885 was shot down by flak near Toyama whilst strafing barges on 12 April 1946. 4 of the 5 crew members were taken prisoner and released after the war.

[zenrat]

Excellent.   Very good work Comrade.
 

[DeeBob]

A mighty attractive plane in that scheme, good work!

[Old Wombat]

Nice one! 

[PR19_Kit]

I've always liked the Ventura, but for reasons known only to what passes for my brain I've never even bought a kit of one, ever.

Yours looks really good in that scheme Comrade and its 'history' reads very convincingly too. 

[jcf]

I've always liked the Ventura, but for reasons known only to what passes for my brain I've never even bought a kit of one, ever.

Yours looks really good in that scheme Comrade and its 'history' reads very convincingly too. 

I'd think that Ventellation the R-3350 engined testbed used in the Constellation development
program would be right up your alley. Especially the extended span high-altitude recce version.
😉
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[PR19_Kit]

I should think so too! That idea needs some investigation................ 

[chrisonord]

Very nice 

[NARSES2]

She does look very attractive in that scheme