Illustration shows aircraft type only. . . .not the actual livery.
The RNZAF in mid 1943 received the first of 23 Lockheed RB-34A Lexington/Ventura bombers to replace the Lockheed Hudson's then in service.
The RNZAF crews who were to assemble them for action found that they were in such bad condition that it took a herculean effort to get 6 airworthy airplanes for service. These 6 were sent to Fiji for No 3 squadron as replacements for their Hudson's, but after only a few months sent the RB's back to NZ as they wanted their Hudson's back. The RB-34s were relegated to training and coastal patrols in NZ after the arrival of the first of 110 PV-1s that went on to service in the Pacific.
Only one of the 133 RB34/PV1s used by the RNZAF survives, NZ4600 which is one of the RB-34s at MOTAT in Auckland NZ.
Paint created using the Milton Shupe Paint kit.
