OV-10 reflight project

From the boneyards back to the sky, Mike Manclark of Newport Beach, CA is regenerating an entire squadron of OV-10 Broncos back to the sky. An interest in one aircraft led to a fleet of eight with three having already completed restoration. Two are currently serving as live fire platforms with operational M-60 machine guns with a multiple bomb rack for strafe and target spotting roles. The third is currently for sale with advanced avionics suite, upgraded engines and propellers. From the jungles of Vietnam, the Sands of Desert Storm, Cocaine fields of Columbia, the DMZ of Korea, Manclark’s airframes are rare warbirds with documented provenance and wear the sheet metal patches from actual combat damage. Perhaps even more rare these fifty year old light attack platforms are still live fire capable.

HISTORICAL DATA

SN 155493 (MSN 305-104)

• New at the factory – January 14, 1968
• 155493 was accepted by VAL-4 at NAS North Island on January 27, 1969
• On April 3, 1972 it was transferred to VMO-6 at MCAS Futema, Okinawa, Japan
• At Futema with VMO-6 thru May 10, 1972
• Joe Baugher’s Notes: Converted to an OV-10D+ in 1991. To Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center as PA0015 Jun 24, 1993. Registration N54623 reserved Feb 5, 1997 but cancelled Aug 20, 1998. Registered N97854 Feb 21, 2008. The airframe and parts spend considerable time at the National Vietnam War Museum east of Mineral Wells, Texas.

200M104 (200th Bronco built, 104th one built for the Marine Corps)

• VA(L)-4 NAS North Island, CA, 1/27/69 and Binh Thuy, RVN. U/M 113 in green.
• Photo from Dave Haferman 6/70.
• Photo w/gray paint in S/S-154, page 35(Bishop).
• H&MS-24, MCAS Kaneohe, HI, probably 4/72.
• VMO-4, NAS Atlanta, GA, 2/7/77.
• Photo firing rockets, MU-515.
• Converted to “D+” 1991, NADEP CPNC 6/4/91.
• VMO-1.  VMO-4, NAS Atlanta, GA.
• To AMARC, Davis-Monathan AFB, AZ (1V053), 6/24/93.  Total flight hours – 8,215.
• Transferred to BATF per 8/94 message.  Video and photos 11/14/94.
• Transferred to DOS 10/1/96.  New inventory code PA0015.
• Disassembled and transported to Marsh Aviation, Mesa, AZ September 2006.  Photos 11/01/06.  GSA August 2008.
• Transferred to the National Vietnam War Museum, Mineral Wells, TX. Parts spotted at the National Vietnam War Memorial park east of East Mineral Wells, TX 12/08.  Photos on WIX net
• Bronco 492, Nose #113 Holy Terror did a lot of close air support for Navy SEALs
• Flown by Howard “Hotch” Hotchkiss. He was shot in the leg while flying and brought the plane back to base. He got a Purple Heart for that.

Know something about the Bronco 493-Holy Terror? We would like to add it here!
Please email us @ manclark01@gmail.com