PV-1 Ventura - Kamchatka, RUS

[kirche]

Hello, All
My friends in Kamchatka (in Russia) found the wreckage of a PV-1 Ventura with American markings. They found the number on the tail with paint through the stencil " 30 " and the numbers 119614 and 119674 are stamped on the engines. I initially thought it's a 19.08.1944 PV-1 Ventura BuNo 49507 / 75V from VB-136 (Pilot-Lt. Jack R. Cowles), but the number on the tail is different. I can't find another suitable one in this sector. Can someone help? I will be grateful for any suggestions.

Best regards,
Kirill

[Stig Jarlevik]

Kirill

No idea if this helps or not, but on 13 Aug 1944 Bu 49525, also from VB-136, was lost over Russia at a place listed as Petropavloslo.

Of course Google Maps cannot locate such a place, but the nearest they suggest is Petropavlosk, which at least is in the right area.

Aircraft and crew were on a patrol mission out of NAS Attu to the Kurile Islands

B Rgds
Stig

[Leendert]

May be worth a try: https://www.norpacwar.com/pv-1s-in-the-ussr

Regards,
Leendert

[kirche]

Hello Leendert and Stig,
Thank you so much for your participation and help.
I have looked at the losses on the above site as well as here https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/PV.htm

PV-1 BuNo 49525 (81) - MSN 237-6341 - VB-136 - Landed in Petropavlovsk - 128 SAD (?) - found at a\f Kataoka

It can be: 49654 or 48733 ? or from interned aircraft 49472, 33278, 48909, 48930, 48910
Perhaps this is one of the interned aircraft, but none of them has the tail number "30" marked (perhaps the number was changed during the service, was painted over, but is now exposed).
As I understand it, in the USN loss reports, the engine numbers are not specified... BuNo could not be found.

[Buckeye30]

PV-1 aircraft numbers were usually on nose and mid-fuselage; the tail number could be a factory number if it's white. Later PV-2s sometimes had tail numbers though.
VB/VPB-135 used low numbers , 136 had high (previously low in 1943). On 8 Aug. 1944 135 and 136 had 12 PV-1s each and the HQ Sqn. had 10 (FAW4) on Attu. "30" is quite high for VB-135.
Nick

[kirche]

Hello, Nick.
Thank you. The number "30" is white on the rudder slightly lower than the standard "PV-1" lettering in black. But for some reason there is no inscription "NAVY" + BuNO on the keel next to it. Perhaps it was removed or the time and the weather did their job.

Best regards,
Kirill

[Buckeye30]

Hi Kirill. PVs didn't usually carry the Navy designators on the tail as with other types. Sometimes the last 4 numbers of the BuNo. were in white behind the cockpit; but it was common to mark the last 2 numbers on the rudder in white as "47" in this photo ( the first PV-2 had "01" on there) eg. 34920 had "20".
No.30 COULD be 48930 lost June 14 1944 in Russia; from VB-135.


Nick

http://torikai.starfree.jp/aircraft/ventura.html

[kirche]

Hello,
We finally figured it out - we found the right aircraft number (MSN). This plane was found back in 1977, then there was a delegation from the United States on it in the early 2000s. Since the last visit, the position and appearance of the wreckage has changed a little, but it turned out to be the plane that we initially assumed:
19.08.1944 PV-1 Ventura - BuNo 49507 / 75V (MSN 237-6323) from VB-136 (Pilot-Lt. Jack R. Cowles).

Thank you all for your help and participation.
Kirill

[Buckeye30]

Kirill. For the record these are the Naval organisations in the area on August 15 ( from the Naval History and Heritage Command).
VOVS = Observation seaplane.
VPBMS = Patrol bomber 2 engine seaplane.
VPBML = " " " landplane.
VJM = 2 engine utility.
VSN = Scout trainer.
VRML = 2 engine transport landplane.
"a" and "r" = assembly and repair.




Regards
Nick