aircraft/loadouts Lockheed B-34-VE Lexington (Ventura IIA)

[SubRyan 5,556]

Model: Lockheed B-34-VE Lexington
 
Technical Description: Medium patrol bomber

Visual Aspects: 

Spoiler

 

Short History: On 13 August, 1941, Lockheed was awarded a Defense Agency contract for 200 medium bomber aircraft based off of the Model 18 Lodestar powered by 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-31s. Intended for delivery to Britain under Lend-Lease as maritime strike aircraft, they were assigned the USAAF serials 41-38020/ 41-38219 for contractual purposes. Following US entry into the war, twenty were impressed into USAAF service for coastal patrol and defence duties. Armament consisted of two fixed forward-firing 0.50-in guns in the nose, two 0. 50-in guns in a Martin dorsal turret, twin flexible 0.30-in guns in the nose and ventral positions, two flexible 0.30-in beam guns, and 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) of bombs. In service, some of the USAAF's B-34-VEs had the dorsal turret removed and AS V radar antennae installed atop the fuselage and beneath the wings.

 

Of the initial order for 200 Ventura IIA's 

• 21 went to the RAAF as Ventura IIA's
• 45 remained in Canada as a part of the RCAF
• 20 were renamed B-34's 
• 57 were converted to B-34A-2 bombing trainers
• 28 were converted to B-34A-3 gunnery trainers
• 16 were converted to B-34A-4 target tugs
• 13 were converted to B-34B-1 navigation trainers
   

Configuration: Bomber

 

Production Status

First flight: 1941
Introduction year: 1941

Status: retired

Number built: 200 (20 used as B-34's, others were sent elsewhere)

 

Crew Data
Number of crew: 4
Roles of crew: pilot, radar operator-tunnel gunner, bombardier-navigator, turret gunner
 

Engine Data
Manufacturer:  Pratt & Whitney
Name:  R-2800-31
Number of engines: 2
Number of cylinders: 18

Configuration: radial

Cooling: air cooled
Supercharger / Turbo: single stage, two speed supercharger
Fuel: 100/130 octane
Dry weight:  2280 lb
Prop shaft ratio:  0.5625

Impeller / gear ratio: 7.5:1, 9.89:1

Cylinder compression ratio: 6.65:1

Fuel consumption:  300 gallons/hr @ military power (low blower)

 

Fuel Data
Fuel tanks: 1345 gallons

 

Oil Data
Oil tanks: 88 gallons

 

Power Data
Takeoff / Military Power (SL): 2000 hp @ 2700 rpm and 52 inHg [5 min limit] (no RAM air)

Military Power (1500 ft): 2000 hp @ 2700 rpm and 51 inHg [5 min limit] (no RAM air)

Military Power (13500 ft): 1600 hp @ 2700 rpm and 47 inHg [5 min limit] (no RAM air)

Normal Rated Power (5300 ft): 1600 hp @ 2400 rpm and 41.5 inHg (no RAM air)

Normal Rated Power (13200 ft): 1450 hp @ 2400 rpm and 42.5 inHg [60 min limit in high blower] (no RAM air)

Propeller Data
Manufacturer: Hamilton Standard
Type: Hydromatic
Number of blades: 3
Blade diameter: 10 ft 2 in
 
Basic Geometric Data
Length: 51 ft 5 in
Wing span: 65 ft 5 in
Wing area (including ailerons): 551 ft²
Height: 11 ft 11 in
Flap area (each):  ft²
Elevator area (including tab):  ft²
Rudder area (each): ft²
Aileron area (each): ft²

 

Weight Data
Empty weight: 17275 lbs

Gross weight: 25600 lbs

Maximum weight: 27750 lbs

 
General Performance Data
Maximum speed: 315 mph (507 km/hr)

Minimum speed (26000 lbs, power off, flaps/gears up): 92 mph (148 km/hr)  

Landing speed: 110 mph (177 km/hr)
Cruising speed: 230 mph (370 km/hr)
Service ceiling: 24000 ft
Range: 950 miles

Gear maximum speed: 170 mph (274 mph)

Landing flaps maximum speed: 142 mph (229 km/hr)

IAS limit: 375 mph (604 km/hr)

Takeoff run with takeoff flaps: 

 

Max Speed (25600 lbs)
.. at SL                                          unknown

.. at 15500 ft                                 315 mph (507 km/hr)                   

Rate of Climb (25600 lbs)
.. at SL                                          unknown

 

Time to altitude (25600 lbs)

.. to 15000 feet                             8 minutes 12 seconds

Armament
Guns:

• 2 x 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in upper decking of nose (500 rounds)
• 2 x 7.62mm Browining machine guns in nose
• 2 x 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in dorsal Martin 250CE-13B turret (800 rounds)
• 2 x 7.62mm Browning machine guns in tail tunnel turret (2000 rounds)
• 1 x 7.62mm Browning machine gun in port fuselage above wing trailing edge 
• 1 x 7.62mm Browning machine gun in starboard fuselage above wing trailing edge 

Bombs (bomb bay):

• 3000 lbs of bombs

 

Ammunition

Notes

 

T.O. 01-55EA-1 is the B-34 (Ventura IIA) manual, which I do not have a copy of

Sources
1. Lockheed Aircraft since 1913

2. (T.O. 01-55EC-1) Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Navy Model PV-1 British Model Ventura GRV Airplanes, March 15, 1944

3. (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) VEGA VENTURA: The Operational Story of Lockheed's Lucky Star by John C. Stanaway

Edited November 26, 2016 by SubRyan

[blakeob 8,086]

Open for discussion. 

[nelsondx 958]

Another bomber to the US? The ordenance is 3 tons but the B-25s can also deliver such ordenance as well and they are both at mid tier. I can't see the need for this airplane, it looks to me a faster B-25 without the armour and gunners.

Edited September 5, 2016 by nelsondx
Typo and added some more text.

[John_Q_ 1,535]

what is the point of adding another bomber in a game with a horrid bomber integration ? These developers needed 3 years to apply a simple limit in bomber number. Not even that can fix the situation as it does not take into account "attackers" 

Spoiler

 

[SubRyan 5,556]

So the 20 B-34's from 1941 has the late 1943 M8 API rounds. 

[Querulous1 3,276]

Ventura would be good

[CokeSpray 7,274]

Moved to Implemented suggestions as this vehicle was added in update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai".