Bronco Blog
Wing and Fuselage Ready for Assembly
Now that we've got everything clean and neat, repaired and painted, we're ready to put some things together.
Painting OV-10 Flight Controls
Flight controls are getting a fresh coat of paint. These all get painted and balanced before re-installing on the aircraft.
Fresh Paint on 493
Grey is BEAUTIFUL - don't ever let 'em tell you otherwise. Look at that baby refuse to shine!
493 at Paint Shop
An exciting day as Airframe 474 gets lifted into position for painting at Newport Harbor Shipyard. Everyone loves a nice shiny coat of paint on the project - but this one's going in matte style. Details to follow.
New Logo
OV-10's new logo is off the drawing board and headed for the new website design.
Those Old OV-10 Broncos Sent To Fight ISIS Were Laser Rocket-Slinging Manhunters
In 2016, Tyler Rogoway of thedrive.com published an article that mentioned using old OV-10 Broconcos to fight Isis. Here is an excerpt of the article The news that the Pentagon was sending a pair of refurbished and highly-upgraded Vietnam-era OV-10 Broncos to Iraq to...
Bronco Special Operations Air Group 15 “Colts”
Credit to their authors... Video made by the Mediamatix company during the last years of the 90's and early 2000's for the Venezuelan Air Force. NortAmerican OV-10A / E Bronco Special Operations Air Group 15 "Colts" Enjoy this historical video:
The OV-10 Squadron
You might or might not have heard of the saying “Behind every great build is a great team”. In this case, it takes a squadron. The guys at OV-10 Squadron have been restoring the legendary OV-10 Bronco back to its former glory. For years, the team has put in the time...
This U.S. Squadron Went Back Into Battle With No Ammunition
A squadron of OV-10 Broncos on their way back from a mission in Vietnam in 1971 receives an urgent message to head back into battle. One problem: they've run out of ammunition and all they have are flares. From the Series: Air Warriors: OV-10 Bronco...
Pillars of the Plane: An Overview of The OV-10 Build
Of all the planes that flew our skies, the OV-10 Bronco might be one of the most iconic warbirds out there. In the previous blog posts, the OV-10 was discussed as a warplane that came out of necessity by the three branches of the military, namely the army, the navy,...
A Bird on Foreign Soil
The mighty OV-10 Bronco has seen its fair share of conflicts, from the jungles of Vietnam to the Deserts of the Middle East; the United States military used these warbirds to fight the good fight. These planes were capable of reconnaissance missions to light air and...
From The OV-10, With Love: The Bronco’s Firepower
The OV-10 Bronco, the bird that flew over the Vietnamese canopy, the one that provided the boys back at the base camp the much-needed information to fight back against the communist threat, the plane that put fear in the hearts of the enemy. From the North Vietnamese...
The Squad of the OV-10 Squadron
You might or might not have heard of the saying “Behind every great build is a great team”. In this case, it takes a squadron. The guys at OV-10 Squadron have been restoring the legendary OV-10 Bronco back to its former glory. For years, the team has put in the time...
Flying The Bronco
The prototype for one of the world's coolest airplanes was built in a garage. This won't surprise homebuilders, but it might military history enthusiasts.
Flying The Bronco
The prototype for one of the world’s coolest airplanes was built in a garage. This won’t surprise homebuilders, but it might military history enthusiasts.
The OV-10 is Fighting Fires in California, and It’s Doing a Great Job
In previous blog topics, we’ve talked about how the OV-10 was ahead of its time by being perfectly suited for rugged, backcountry operations during the Vietnam War. The OV-10 was designed with the COIN mission in mind—COIN meaning Counter-Insurgency. During the time...
“Flying Snipers:” The OV-10G+
The OV-10 Bronco was an innovation in aviation that reflected the needs and demands of the time when it was developed. Manufactured during the middle-late 20th century, this twin turbo-propeller aircraft had a blend of characteristics from both jet and helicopter....
Overview of the OV-10 in the US Air Force
Developed in the 1960s, the twin turbo-propeller OV-10 Bronco was ahead of its time in terms of its maneuverability, utility and ruggedness. Having served under the US Marine Corps, the US Navy and the US Air Force, something truly great can be said about the...
A Jungle Plane in a Desert Storm: The OV-10 Bronco During the Gulf War
Photo from the Atlantic The OV-10’s last hurrah It was recorded that the OV-10 Bronco experienced its last combat hurrah under the United States Armed Forces during the operations of the 1991 Gulf War, but in 2016 it was called from retirement. The newly-modified...
He Who Strengthened The Storm: Lt. Pete Russell
Author’s note: Some parts of this post are creative representations of historical events and facts. January 3, 1969 – Emotions are high and humming among the plankowners in the Naval Air Station in North Island, California. While the ceremony is ongoing, some faces...
About the Project: Progress, People and Patience
Behind every successful project, there is a group of dedicated people who find the drive to keep on going even when the going gets tough. The key to a successful project—regardless of its nature, whether it be advocacy-based, profit-driven, large-scale, small-scale,...
Victor Charlie: 4,000 North Vietnamese lost to one Aircraft
The year is 1970. War is rolling aggressively in Vietnam between the forces of the communist North, and Democratic South Vietnam along with its ally, the United States. Tensions are high back home and public opinion is split on whether the war is worth all the fuss or...
Terror on the Trail: The Target Spotters of the Ho Chi Minh
The OV-10 Squadron project is an organization committed to the restoration and continued support of flying the OV-10 Bronco, an iconic twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft heavily used in forward, escort and support operations during the Vietnam War...
OV-10 Amazing Things
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft developed for use in the Vietnam War specifically for the purposes of the COIN mission (COunter-INsurgency). It was during this time that the United States military...