1:48 PV-1 Ventura Nose and Turret Armament

PV-1 Ventura: nose and dorsal turret armament 1:48 from CMK

This add-on resin set from CMK in 1:48 scale is intended for sharpening up the nose and dorsal turret armament of the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura model. The castings replace the molded parts from the base kit, which tend to be soft in shape and where the difference is clearly visible in this scale. It is not an aircraft model but an intervention in detail that concentrates on the most visible points of the airframe.

The real subject

The PV-1 Ventura was a twin-engined naval patrol and bomber aircraft whose crew operated fixed armament in the nose and a rotating dorsal gun turret. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engines. The arrangement of the weapons differed between production batches and operators, so before building it pays to compare photographs of the particular aircraft you want to build; the set gives the model sharper barrels and more cleanly cast mounting parts.

Building and painting tips

First wash the castings in lukewarm water with dish soap so that no mold release agent is left on them. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a cutting disc and finish with a scalpel; the thin barrels are brittle, so work with them in one plane and do not overload them while sanding. Resin is bonded with super glue (cyanoacrylate). Apply a filling primer before painting. Metal parts come out well with a dark base and a light dry brush, or with a graphite sheen. Leave the turret to be fitted only once the glazing has dried, so that the surface does not get scratched.

Who the set is for

• builders of the PV-1 Ventura model in 1:48 scale
• modelers bothered by the soft shape of molded weapons and mounts
• building a particular aircraft from period photographs
• more experienced builders used to working with small resin parts

This is an add-on set, not an aircraft model. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.