LOCKHEED PV-1 VENTURA A59-96
MSN 237-6371
(AA000020)

 

 

QAM thanks David Bussey for funding the acquisition of this aircraft.

 
49555
   Built for United States Navy with Bu No 49555
19MAY44   Departed West Coast. (Source: 4)
24MAY44   At Honolulu (List shows 25APR44 which is evidently a typo. Several other aircraft shown at Honolulu on 24MAY44). (Source: 4)
29MAY44
   Departed Honolulu at 0520Z flown by Flt Lt Gibbes. (Source: 5)
A59-96
    
01JUN44
   Received at No 2 Aircraft Depot, Richmond. (Source: 1)
03JUN44
   Aircraft renumbered A59-96. (Source: 1)
20JUL44
   Allotted No 2 Aircraft Park, Bankstown for storage. (Source: 1)
25JUL44
   Issued ex 2AD and received at No 2 Aircraft Park, Bankstown. (Source: 1)
20NOV44
   Allotted 2AD Care and Maintenance Section, Evans Head for storage. (Source: 1)
19DEC44
   Approval granted for use of aircraft to escort 79 Sqn Spitfires. (Source: 1)
    Note: There is no subsequent allotment for this Spitfire escort duty and the status card makes no further reference to it so it is unlikely that A59-96 was actually used for this task. In the first half of 1945, 79 Squadron was re-equipping with Spitfre Mk VIII aircraft in preparation for a move to Morotai in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). On 09MAR45, ten Spitfires arrived at Morotai from Oakey. There is no mention of any escort aircraft although clearly one would have been required for navigation, communication and ASR support. For the record, the Spitfires were A58-487, 492, 495, 501, 512, 517, 531, 543, 545 & 547. The 79 Sqn ORB records that another seven aircraft arrived from Oakey on 01MAY45, thus completing the squadron's move to Morotai. These aircraft are not identified and again there is no mention of escort aircraft. (Source: 2)
Given that from 09FEB45, Ventura A59-96 was in storage at Evans Head where it was subsequently damaged in a storm on 31MAR45, it is unlikely that the aircraft participated in the Spitfire escort duty in March 1945.
30DEC44
   Issued 2AD Care and Maintenance Section, Evans Head ex 2AP. (Source: 1)
31DEC44
   Received at 2AD Care and Maintenance Section, Evans Head for storage. (Status card shows "31.12.45". Context suggests that this is in error.)
05FEB45
   Allotted No 1 Air Observers' School, Evans Head for storage ex 2AD Care and Maintenance Section. (Source: 1)
09FEB45
   Received 1AOS, Evans Head ex 2AD for storage. (Source: 1)
    The first mention of Venturas in the ORB for No 1 AOS, Evans Head is at the end of FEB45 when it is stated that the unit establishment was 32 Venturas with 8 on strength. Of the 8 on strength, 4 were serviceable. Subsequent months do not state the unit establishment but strength is shown as 5 in March and April and 4 in May. Of the 5 on strength in March, none were serviceable. The ORB makes frequent reference to aircraft storage and ferrying duties but there is no specific reference to escorting Spitfires. (Source: 3)
    An examination of the status cards for all RAAF Venturas shows that while an allotment of 32 might have been intended, only 10 aircraft were actually received at 1AOS, Evans Head. These ten aircraft were allotted to 1AOS for storage on 05FEB45 and were received at Evans Head on 09FEB45. These aircraft were; A59-74, 80, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94, 96 & 97. An additional three aircraft had been allotted on 05FEB45 but apparently were never received at 1AOS. (Source: 1)
31MAR45
   A59-96 was damaged in a "cyclonic disturbance" which struck the Northern Rivers district of NSW at approximately 1515 hours on Saturday 31MAR45. The status card records this event under 02JUL45 but the actual date of the event is derived from The Northern Star, Lismore of Wednesday 04APR45.
    Other Venturas damaged in the storm were A59-74 and A59-92. (Source: 1)
09APR45
   Storm damage at Evans Head was inspected and damaged aircraft photographed. (Source: 3)
14MAY45
   Allotted 2AD for inspection and fitment of bomb bay fuel tank and CO2 cylinders. (Source: 1)
02JUL45
   The status card mentions damage to the port elevator and tailplane (from the storm in March) and recommends repair by 2AD. (Source: 1)
17AUG45
   Allotment to 2AD cancelled. (Source: 1)
01OCT46
   To be stored Category E. (Source: 1)
19NOV46
   Authorised for write-off. (Source: 1)
06FEB48
   To Dept of Aircraft Production for disposal ex Care and Maintenance Unit, Evans Head, NSW. (Source: 1)
25MAR49
   Disposal action completed. (The status card does not record the name of the purchaser). (Source: 1)
     
   
A Social History of A59-96 contributed by Bill Staff (August 2006):

"The aircraft was acquired from Evans Head by the Jones and Short Carrying Company and moved to Mr Short's back yard at 38 Booyun Street, Brunswick Heads. The other partner in the business, Mr Alf Jones (who was married to Short's sister) lived in Nana Street, across the lane behind Short's property and three doors up. The business (and partnership) eventually folded and Short sold 38 Booyun Street. The aircraft was sold to the owner of the property next door, Cecil Robb, who owned the next three blocks along from 38 Booyun Street (36, 34, 32). Blocks 34 and 32 were vacant and overgrown with Bracken Fern. The time of the sale would have had to be at the latest, in the early fifties. The aircraft was moved over to the back corner of Block 34 at the time of the sale. The Staff family moved into 35 Booyun Street across the road and the Goodwins moved in to 36 Booyun Street in 1956. At this time, the aircraft had no wings, empennage, or interior fittings. It was a bare, gutted fuselage. The aircraft had been there for some time of course and was the scene of many legendary games, involving kids from all over town. As a young kid, I have memories of many of the local kids conducting serious war games in that thing….if you could get over the concern for possible resident spiders and snakes. The older kids designated themselves as the only ones allowed in the cockpit, so the only time I could get up there was when there was no-one else around. Otherwise, I was ordered to be the “tail gunner”. I remember “parachuting” out the side door many, many times. It is reported by other residents of the street that the aircraft also served a useful purpose as a class room, principally in the study of anatomy! The aircraft remained in Booyun Street until approximately 1962 when it was removed, at the insistence of the Byron Council, to the Robb family farm at Kennedy's Lane, Tyagarah. My Mother and Sister still live at number 35 and I still call it home".
     
19APR78
   Fuselage sighted on the property of Cecil E. Robb (Coorabel Road, third property on right, 3 miles past Tyagarah Airfield). Used to store pig feed. (Source: Geoff Goodall)
79
   Fuselage sold to John Hill.
04JUN84
 Noted at Chewing Gum Field Museum, Tallebudgera. Actual date of arrival is unknown.
31MAR91
   Sold to QAM.
16MAY91
   Transported from Tallebudgera to Caloundra.
Where did the parts come from?
FEB06
   A milestone in the restoration was reached when the aircraft was raised on its own wheels for the first time in sixty years.
26AUG10
   The starboard engine was installed in the airframe.
10FEB11
   The port engine was installed in the airframe.
DEC14
   The starboard wing was fitted to the aircraft.
FEB15
   The port wing was fitted to the aircraft.
14JUN17
   In another major milestone in the restoration, the aircraft was moved into Hangar 2.

 

 

SOURCES
1
 RAAF Form E/E.88 Airframe Record Card.
2
 NAA: RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 79 Squadron April 1943 - October 1945, Series number A9186.
3
 NAA: RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 1 Air Observers' School, Apr 40 - May 45, Series number A9186.
4
 NAA via Gordon Birkett.
5
 NAA, Aircraft Allocation and Shipment, 1944, Ventura PV-1, Series A1196.

 

No Identity Crisis Here


Where did the wings come from?

 

Remembering John Hill

(1946-2009)

That Ventura A59-96 survives at all is largely due to the vision of John Hill. Sadly, John never got to realise his dream of his own aviation museum but other museums such as QAM owe much to the foresight of people like John Hill. John was photographed in the cockpit of Matt Denning's Boomerang A46-122 at Toowoomba in 2002. The Boomerang was yet another of John's saves. RIP John.

 

 

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly

 


 

ISSUE
DATE
REMARKS
21
20NOV24
 Added an image of the original Lockheed Data Plate thanks to Angelo Calleja.
Added two images of the bomb bay doors under construction thanks to Angelo Calleja.
Image 1 Image 2
Added three images of the interior of the aircraft as acquired by QAM. Thanks to Nick Sayer. Image 1 Image 2 Image 3
Added a tribute to John Hill.
20
13OCT21
 Added an image of the aircraft inside Hangar 2 thanks to Ian McDonell.
19
18JUN17
 Added an image of the aircraft inside Hangar 2.
18
17DEC16
 The history has been completely revised from sources shown in the table above.
17
16DEC16
 Added an image of the aircraft being painted thanks to Angelo Calleja.
16
27NOV16
 Added an image of the interior as it appeared in 1998. Thanks to Shaun Ryan.
15
11NOV16
 Added two recent images of the interior fitout thanks to Nick Sayer.
14
25OCT16
 Added a recent image
13
14MAR15
 Added an image of the aircraft with its port wing fitted. Thanks to Colin Campbell.
12
23JAN15
 Added an image of the aircraft with its starboard wing fitted.
11
13JAN15
 Added an image of the aircraft in use as a farm shed at Tyagarah in 1978. Thanks to Geoff Goodall.
10
21MAR12
 Added several images of the internal restoration. Thanks to Ron Hasenbosch for the images and for his restoration work on the Ventura. It's come a long way from a farm shed!
9
08JUL11
 Added an image of the aircraft with both engines fitted.
8
29SEP10
 The aircraft has been fitted with an engine.
7
10AUG06
 Added a social history of the aircraft's time at Brunswick Heads thanks to Bill Staff.
6
25JUL06
 Added departure date ex West Coast and arrival Honolulu.
5
24JUN06
 Added departure date ex Honolulu.
4
23JAN04
 Clarified location in Tyagarah area.