1:48 PV-1 Ventura Pilot Cockpit

Resin pilot cockpit for the PV-1 Ventura in 1:48 scale

This set from the Czech manufacturer CMK is an accessory, not a model of the aircraft. It holds resin replacement parts for the pilot cockpit and is intended for the plastic model of the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in 1:48 scale. It cannot be built on its own; you need the base model of the aircraft for it.

The point is simple: on the twin-engine Ventura the cockpit is very clearly visible under extensive glazing, but the production solution tends to be simplified because of the injection molding process. A resin casting allows crisper edges, a finer instrument panel and more three-dimensional detail on the seats and side panels, because it is cast as a whole regardless of the direction in which a mold opens.

Use and working with the set

• rinse the parts in lukewarm soapy water before work; this removes any mold release residue and the paint will then hold
• cut the casting blocks off with a saw, not with nippers, as resin is brittle and can crack
• level the surface with a file after cutting, and use breathing protection when working with dust
• fit the set with cyanoacrylate glue, that is with super glue, as ordinary cement for plastic does not hold on resin
• paint and accentuate the cockpit before you close up the fuselage halves
• make sure which base model you want to fit the set into, and try the fit dry

The real subject

The Lockheed PV-1 Ventura was an American twin-engine patrol and bomber aircraft derived from a civil airliner. It was powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engines, which made it fast for its category. It was used by the US Navy and by Allied air forces, mainly for patrols over the sea and for attacks on submarines. The glazed nose and the extensive cockpit are among its most conspicuous features, so it is exactly here that an investment in detail pays off most.

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the PV-1 Ventura in 1:48 and want to lift the most visible part of the aircraft above the level of the production solution. Working with resin calls for a little practice, so the set suits more advanced modelers.

We recommend working in a well ventilated space and protecting your eyes as well as your airways when cutting and leveling the parts.