W.T. LARKINS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
No. 9033. Lockheed 237 PV-1 Ventura (N64001 c/n 237-5326) Crane Company
Photographed at San Fransisco, California, USA, November 17, 1955, by W.T. Larkins

Lockheed 237 PV-1 Ventura

08/31/2021. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "One of a batch of 400 PV-1s ordered by the USN (BuNo 33067 to 33466, c/n 237-5076 to 237-5475) this aircraft had BuNo 33317. Factory fresh the aircraft was transferred to the RCAF on June 22, 1943. Designated Ventura G.R.Mk.V and allotted the serial 2204, it was assigned to No. 149 (BR) Squadron, initially operating from Annette Island, Alaska, USA, later from Terrace, British Columbia, Canada. After 281 hours it was struck off charge on January 22, 1947.

In February 1947 the aircraft came on the US register as NC64001, owner was Hunter C. Moody of the Decatur Aviation Co at Decatur, Illinois. In 1949 the aircraft was reregistered to the Columbia Geneva Steel Corp of San Francisco, California. In June 1949, the aircraft was converted to a civil executive transport by Flying Tiger Line Inc., at the Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank. In 1954 ownership was transferred to the parent company of Columbia Geneva Steel, US Steel Corp, also at San Francisco. Total flying hours during the time with the two steel companies was 2,795 hours.

On April 20, 1956, the aircraft was reregistered to the Crane Co of Chicago, Illinois, after only 33 flying hours, the aircraft was lost on May 15, 1956. Near the end of a flight from O'Hare-Chicago International Airport to Louisville-Standiford Field, Louisville, Kentucky, the carburetor control of the port engine became disconnected. Due to the loss of power the aircraft descended, struck some trees and plunged in an open field a few miles east of Jeffersonville, Indiana, less than 9 mls (14 km) from its destination. The aircraft was wrecked and all eight occupants were killed. The registration was cancelled August 28, 1956."


Created June 30, 2009