Aviaeology AOD48034: Venturas in Canada 4

PRICE:

CDN$15.79

UNITS:

See review

REVIEW:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

Also available in 1/72 for $11.79

Aviaeology has produced a fourth sheet for Canadian Venturas and this one covers the Bomber/Gunner trainers and Target Towing versions. For those unfamiliar with the type in Canadian service, these planes were reworked and upgraded around 1947 to perform their new mission. The major visual differences are that the bomber/gunner trainers had a Martin turret installed and the target tugs had all armament removed, a small blister on the left rear fuselage along with a small pylon under each wing next to the engine nacelles.

During this period of time, Canadian insignia underwent a change from the short lived roundel with no white in it to the later, and brighter roundel with the white ring. As with the earlier sheet on the Hudsons, Aviaeology has provided a set of darker insignia just in case the modeler believes that these RCAF colors were darker than their RAF equivalent.

There are four planes on this sheet; two tugs and two b/g trainers.

Both of the trainers were later planes so never carried the earlier insignia, only the 'VC' markings. These planes were unpainted metal with red bits on the fin, wing outer edges and the horizontal stabilizers. Note that the control surfaces were never painted red.

The two tugs are from both eras and are quite colorful being overall yellow with large black bands. When the VC era came into being, some of the large wing bands were over-painted to make room for the codes. Sections were also taken out of the side fuselage black bands for these codes.

Of course there is more to it than what is mentioned as the electronics suite on these planes was generall rather different in terms of locations of aerials and such.

Aviaeology has among the best researched instructions that are around and provide not only photos of the subjects in question, but also provided drawings of any modifications done so the builder can put those modeling skills to work in order to make the most accurate representation possible. I should mention that while the cover sheet is in full color the actual instructions are in black and white, and Aviaeology provides a link to full color instructions (and sometimes photos as well).

If you have the Revell Ventura and have been waiting for some post war color to build yours, now you can.

March 2015

My thanks to www.aviaeology.com for the review sheet. You can get yours direct at this link.

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