Lockheed PV / B-34 Lexington
The PV-2 Harpoon and PV-1,3, B-34 Lexington (USAAF version of the PV Harpoon/Ventura) and B-37 Ventura were sea patrol and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) aircraft, developed from the model 18 Lodestar. Compared with the A-28 and A-29 Hudson the Ventura was more powerful and better armed, but it had a shorter range because it did not carry more fuel. The Harpoon was a long-range version of the Ventura. Lockheed B-34 Lexington was a USAAF version of the PV-2 Harpoon, Lockheed B-37 Ventura was developed from B-34.
General characteristics PV-1
Primary function Reconaissance / bomber
Contractor Vega Aircraft Corporation
Power plant Two Pratt&Whitney R-2800 engines
Thrust 2x 1,850 HP 2x 1,380 kW
Wingspan 65.5 ft 19.96 m
Length 51.7 ft 15.77 m
Height 13.1 ft 4 m
Wingarea 551 sq ft 51.19 sq m
Weight empty 19,375 lb 8,788 kg
max. 31,080 lb 14,097 kg
Speed 300 mph 483 km/h
Ceiling 26,300 ft 8,015 m
Max. range 900 miles 1,448 km
Armament 4x 12.7mm and 2x 7.62mm machine gun; 1,134 kg bombs
Date deployed 1940
General characteristics PV-2
Primary function Reconaissance / ASW
Contractor Vega Aircraft Corporation
Power plant Two Pratt&Whitney R-2800-31 engines
Thrust 2x 2,000 HP 2x 1,491 kW
Wingspan 75 ft 22.86 m
Height 14.1 ft 4.29 m
Weight empty 24,000 lb 10,886 kg
max. 40,000 lb 18,144 kg
Speed 282 mph 454 km/h
Ceiling 23,950 ft 7,300 m
Max. range 900 miles 1,448 km
Armament 9x 12.7mm machine gun; 1,814 kg bombs (torpedoes) or cargo
Crew Five
Date deployed 1944
these two photos were taken during WWII by my father-in-law (a radio operator on a B-34). The lower photo was taken somewhere over South America. Regards, Earl
