by Michael Jarvis | Apr 5, 2018 | News
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 OV-10G models were sent to hammer ISIS in Syria.
During the Desert Storm of 1991, the coalition led by the United States benefited from the latest combat aircraft and military technologies, but also utilized some of the oldest model planes that were functioning during that time.
Airplanes such as the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, designed to avoid radar detection, flew alongside the likes of the legendary Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (developed in the 1950s), and our own beloved North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.
The Persian Gulf War: A brief history
The 1991 war originated from a tense geopolitical environment in the Persian Gulf. More specifically, it came from a sudden, surprising and fiery speech delivered by Iraq’s then-president Saddam Hussein.
Before this, there was a heavy air of expectation from countries all over the world and especially inside the Middle East that Hussein would finally turn towards peace and withdraw Iraqi armed forces stationed in areas that they have long held. These expectations came from Iraq’s foreign minister who attended the July 1990 Geneva Convention. During these times, the future seemed bright for the Middle East.
Alas, it was only darkened by the speech given by Hussein. There were three points to note from his speech: (1) Hussein accused neighbor nation Kuwait of siphoning crude oil from Rumaila, a super-giant oil field located in Southern Iraq 20 miles from the border of Kuwait; (2) Hussein insisted that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia cancel out Iraq’s foreign debt amounting to 30 billion USD; and (3) that Hussein was suspicious of the two said countries keeping oil prices low in order to indulge the needs of the United States.
Briefly after he had delivered his speech, Hussein began amassing Iraqi troops along the border of Kuwait. This caused worries to soar among the heads of state in the Middle East. Egypt’s president of that time, Hosni Mubarak, began negotiations between the concerned parties only for Iraq to step out of the negotiation table after a short two hours.
On August 2 1990, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait began. It garnered disapproval and condemnation from two-thirds of the 21-member Arab League, the king of Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait’s government-in-exile. Those who condemned this act of aggression turned towards the US and the NATO for support.
Operation Desert Shield – Desert Storm
The United States, Britain and the Soviet Union immediately condemned Iraq’s trooping into the nation of Kuwait. The United Nations Security Council gave Iraq a deadline to withdraw from Kuwait: January 15, lest the intervening nations would be authorized all necessary means of force against Iraq. January 15 passed with no word and no sign of withdrawal whatsoever from Iraq’s military forces.
Operation Desert Shield was the chain of events leading up to the deadline, wherein the United States continuously deployed armed forces to Saudi Arabia, along with Egypt, other NATO allies, and several Middle Eastern nations. This buildup was designed to defend against a possible attack on Saudi Arabia.
Operation Desert Storm began the day immediately after January 15, and was the combat phase of the US’ participation in the Gulf War. What can be simply described as the utter decimation of Iraqi forces, the first few days of Operation Desert Storm consisted of bombing sorties rapidly and consistently pummeling Iraqi military targets, with over 2500 missions a day, for many days.
The OV-10 Bronco during Operation Desert Storm
The US Marines sent Marine observation squadrons VMO-1 and VMO-2 to bases in Saudi Arabia despite doubts about the effectiveness of the OV-10 Bronco in a desert environment.
The Middle East is a great expanse of desert with long stretches of nothing but sand—an environment completely opposite to the one which the OV-10 Bronco was designed for, AKA the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia. Flying and fighting in the desert proved to be different from the fighting in Vietnam, but this difficulty was overcome thanks to improved equipment and new techniques.
OV-10s performed duties similar to those they had during the Vietnam War. OV-10 pilots during the Gulf War flew as forward air control, to report relays and for other reconnaissance missions.
The most significant threat faced by the OV-10 during the time of Desert Storm were shoulder-launched heat-seeking missiles dished out by Iraqi ground troops. The A-model Bronco was at a great disadvantage to this as compared to its later D-model types. The D-model had the ALQ-144 “disco light” IR jammer installed which helped derail the tracking mechanisms of heat-seeking missiles. The A-model enjoyed no such benefit, resulting in two incidents where an OV-10 was shot down, before their squadrons were assigned to lower-threat areas and a greater emphasis on D-models was circulated.
Operation Desert Storm: Conclusion
A ceasefire was declared on February 28 effectively ending the Gulf War. Iraq, according to the defined terms of peace, recognized Kuwait’s sovereignty as a state and relinquished all its weapons of mass destruction. Iraq did not leave Kuwait untouched. In Iraq’s retreat from Kuwait, a reported 600 to 700 oil wells were set on fire in their wake causing massive health and environmental damage to the region and its citizens, as well as to the world in what was to be known as the Kuwaiti oil fires of 1991.
The OV-10 has soared, lived and seen action from the Vietnam War of the 1960s, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and the fight against the ISIS terrorist organization last 2016 and 2017. The venerable plane is also in service in other countries as well as other departments in the US. Foreign countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia all have combat-ready squadrons of OV-10s. The Bronco is also in active service with the California Department of Forestry and Fire, the US Department of State and even NASA.
To this day, the plane holds a special place in the hearts of people and veterans alike, as well as in the history of the American military.
by Michael Jarvis | Mar 25, 2018 | News
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 display hints of eagerness, others excitement, but all never exceed the stern discipline characteristic of the expressions of soldiers and military personnel. Months of practice and hard work have led to this moment. Lines of OV-10 Broncos, a peculiar yet awe-inspiring sight, sit quietly in the background. Soon, they would be piloting these planes above war-torn and battle-filled jungles, rivers and rolling mountains. They have been trained to do so. They are warriors.
It is the day that the United States Navy establishes its first fixed-wing light attack squadron: the VAL-4. The squadron’s original emblem depicted a North American yellow jacket wasp with silver wings, a lightning bolt from its stinger. Behind it, four black aircraft with yellow contrails—all embossed on a red background. Below the insignia, a banner proudly bears the name “Light Atkron Four.” This emblem would later on change in 1971, modifying the wasp to a rearing black pony, hence their nickname the “Black Ponies.”
The VAL-4 “Black Ponies” were commissioned to serve a specific purpose during the Vietnam War, one that both jets and helicopters of their era found it hard to fulfill. That was mainly to provide forward air control to the front-line, sometimes far beyond it, and riverine support for SEALS and detachments of the US Army, Navy and the armed forces of South Vietnam. Simply, the VAL-4 were meant to get up close and personal in the face of the Victor Charlie, or Viet Cong.
Lieutenant Pete Russell is one among the ranks of the Black Ponies. Pete, like his older brother, preferred flying propeller-type aircraft over jets. He had made a name for himself as a pilot of an A-1H Skyraider in Attack Squadron 176 during the earlier years of the Vietnam War, often going toe-to-toe and engaging in air-to-air combat with multiple North Vietnamese MIG-17 jets.
A legendary feat of Lt. Russell, aviator, was that in multiple encounters he had been able to take down MIG-17 jets with a propeller-driven aircraft. It is worth noting that MIG-17 jets were high-subsonic fighter aircraft, meaning that they could reach speeds at over 711 mph, while the A-1H Skyraider could only fly to speeds of 320mph. Such a feat would have made Pete a legend had he survived the war, some of the surviving Black Pony pilots say.
He earned his place in this squadron, piloting a newly developed plane that flew like a jet but maneuvered like a helicopter.
For the months to come, Lt. Russell along with the rest of the VAL-4 were assigned operations in Binh Thuy Air Base and the Vung Tau Army Airfield, which were both in close proximity to the Mekong Delta, a hotspot for Viet Cong activity, and a battlefield with a terrain that proved to be difficult for American troops. Missions were made. Support was provided. The Black Ponies did what was needed of them during the war, and so much more than that.
May 25, 1969 – Lieutenant Pete Russell along with his co-pilot Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Jeff Johnson, were flying on an OV-10 Bronco: the Black Pony 107, to answer a distress call coming from two Navy river patrol boats (PBR, or Swift boats) that found themselves ambushed by Viet Cong positions along the Sông Cái Lớn, or the Cai Lon River in Vietnam. Upon reaching the location, they made repeated attack runs against enemy positions, allowing the river patrol boats to move, even if just barely. After a few moments and a lull in the firing, the PBRs came under attack again. Unfortunately, Russell and his wingman found their guns dry, their previous strafing runs having eaten up what ammunition they had in their plane’s chambers.
Thinking quickly, Russell made several “dry runs,” hoping that they could intimidate the Viet Cong to duck down and provide enough time and cover for the Swift boats to maneuver out of the range of enemy fire. It was during one of these dry runs that Pete was mortally wounded by a single 30-caliber bullet round that crashed through the plane canopy and struck Pete on the side of his head. The plane was on a nosedive.
The co-pilot, Lt. Jeff Johnson, recovered control of the plane right in the nick of time, moments before it was about to crash into the water and quickly flew it back to the base at Binh Thuy at full throttle. Being seated behind Lt. Russell, Jeff only learned that his friend had died when they had landed; one bullet hole on the side of the pilot’s canopy as proof of what had killed his brother-in-arms.
“For the Black Ponies, it was a wake-up call.” Johnson recalls. “I think everybody now realized this was serious business.” The sacrifice of Lt. Russell, and the loss felt by the others in the VAL-4 Black Ponies, steeled their determination and strengthened their efforts in fighting back against the Victor Charlie. Piloting their renowned OV-10s, in formations that took to the skies come hell or high water which struck fear in the hearts of communist guerrillas, the VAL-4 was a storm of firepower to be reckoned with during the Vietnam War. A storm which, was rallied and encouraged, by the honorable sacrifice of a fellow pilot. Today, Lt. Pete Russell’s memory lives on, his name etched on panel 24W, line 090 on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and his OV-10 plane proudly displayed in the National Naval Aviation Museum as a memorial to he who strengthened the storm.
by Michael Jarvis | Mar 15, 2018 | 493, News
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, or whatever-scale, is human effort and perseverance. It is a group of people who have the grit to put on and lace up their work boots even on days that they don’t feel like working. The OV-10 Squadron project is no exception to this rule. Our team is a team of dedicated and hard-working individuals, upon whose shoulders rest the overall success of our mission.
Quick Engine Change (QEC)
Nestled in one of the hangers at the San Bernardino County Chino Airport, Brian, one of our team members on the OV-10 Bronco project saddles up for another day of work. The day contains tasks that are as exhilarating as usual: cataloguing and separating hordes upon hordes of boxes that have come with the air frames.
These tasks may seem droning, but they are vital tasks nonetheless. These tasks are carried out by a crew that is the best of the best in the war bird business. Brian has extensive experience, having been able to be part of the restoration project for the P-51 Mustang “Bunny” from 2013 to 2016. Bunny is now proudly displayed in the Palm Springs Air Museum in California. Aside from Bunny, Brian also had a chance to work on Army One in Chino, the famed helicopter used by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford.
Top: Alex, heat gun in hand, scrapes the mothballing away on an OV-10. Bottom: Eloy hard at work under the hot California sun.
They’re getting started on removing the cocoon of mothballing from the openings of the wings and fuselage. “It takes time and sometimes it isn’t very quick,” Brian says. Nonetheless, his dedication is unfazed. “It’s not all coming off in big pieces, but it all has to come off some time so today is the day to start.”
Work has begun on removing the access panels on the wings to reach the wing fuel tanks. Inside the fuel tanks is a layer of mush that once existed as foam. All this has to be removed and cleaned up.
“We shipped off the engines to the rebuilder last week, stripping the QEC’s down to the parts they wanted for their job.” Brian says. He admits that it isn’t glorious work, but it is all necessary.
Restoring a Vietnam War-era aircraft is no easy work. Even if it was meant to be easily handled by simple hand tools on the field during its time, the task of bringing a plane like the OV-10 Bronco back up to pristine and working conditions is enough to make a person’s head spin. Progress is made by the scrape, and in baby steps.
But it is worth it, and the people participating in the project know its worth. They’re taking part in restoring a small, but critical piece of American history both in the military and in aviation. What they’re working on is an aircraft that undoubtedly has a place in the hearts and minds of military personnel and civilians alike.
This is the OV-10 Bronco, a plane that has fought, served and crashed in the battles of this country. Come mothballing or mush, it will fly and soar the skies once again.
by Michael Jarvis | Feb 21, 2018 | News
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 not. Protests mount, and it is not an uncommon sight to see groups and hordes of people furiously waving pickets and fists in the air against a military excursion that people from all walks of life have come to detest so vehemently. Across the Pacific, in the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam, American troops and units neck-high in the brush and deep in enemy territory have no time nor interest in paying attention to politics and all its intricacies. Their eyes are locked on the meters in front of them, wary of what caused that one bush to rustle, or those branches to break, constantly on the lookout for the enemy and on-guard for their own lives. They are grateful for the announcing roar of the OV-10 aircraft above them, keeping an eye on the skies with its unique and multi-faceted capabilities.
The Vietnam War was not an easy one. American forces on Vietnamese soil fought tooth and nail to push back and eradicate the communist insurgency in the Southeast Asian country. The 1954 Geneva Conference split the country of Vietnam into two, a communist North and democratic South. The former led by Ho Chi Minh and the latter, by Ngo Dinh Diem before he was assassinated. The war was especially challenging because of the difficulties posed by the terrain and the land which American troops were forced to fight on. Vietnam, for those who haven’t been, is a country full of rolling hills, thick jungles and tropical clime that is host to a handful of infectious diseases such as malaria.
Couple these geographical challenges with the creeping, ever-present threat of Viet Cong or “Victor Charlie” guerrillas who knew these lands like the back of their hands, and a soldier finds himself in a handicap like never before. These communist forces wore no uniforms, delivered devastating blows seconds before vanishing, and blended in with local villagers and communities with ease.
The United States Military learned that when attacking an elusive foe such as the Victor Charlie, high-performance aircraft fighters were much more successful when directed by lighter forward air control (FAC) planes. The OV-10 Bronco, however, is much more than just a target pointer. Hoisting four 7.62mm M60C machine guns, 2.75 inch marking rockets, 20mm cannon pods and an array of incredibly devastating 5-inch Zuni folding-fin aircraft rockets, the OV10 rained down hell on the heads of ground targets. Flying at speeds up to 281mph, the OV-10 floated like a butterfly and stung like a 41x40x15ft, 9 to 12,000lb armor-plated, bullet-resistant bee.
The VAL-4 “Black Ponies,” renowned as OV-10 flyers during the Vietnam War who liked to get close, down and dirty with the Viet Cong enemy along the Mekong Delta, were known to fly in two-plane fire teams whereas one plane was coming off the target, the other rolled in. This act of switching, firing, and switching again kept going until either the ground was quiet or their guns ran out of ammo. Consistently delivering the 50-ft fireballs that were the Zuni rockets within 30 feet of their aim points, they were always up in the face of the enemy, hitting hard and hitting close.
The OV-10 Bronco did its fair share in pushing back against the communist Viet Cong forces in Indochina during the Vietnam War. Of the reported 444,000 North Vietnamese military personnel who have died in combat, the OV-10 Bronco alone is claimed to have felled 4,000 of the communist insurgents. The OV-10 Bronco has proved that striking a balance between the ferocity of a jet fighter and the utility of a helicopter was indeed possible, and it is this unique capabilities of the OV-10 that had allowed it to successfully distribute logistics to severed units, evacuate injured personnel, spot targets as forward air control and provide close air support to critical areas.
Now that the Vietnam War is over, the OV-10 still remains a spitting image of American genius and innovation in aviation. An unsung hero and lifesaver of the countless many, the OV-10 is certainly deserving of its restoration. This project is decades in the making and is led by a team of extremely dedicated and diverse individuals who are stalwart in their mission of bringing back to life a legendary aircraft. Learn more about our mission now by browsing more of our website and getting in touch with us!
by Michael Jarvis | Feb 6, 2018 | News
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 and current major military endeavors. The OV-10 Bronco has served under the US Marine Corps, the US Air Force, and the US Navy, as well as the armed forces of many other countries. With its unique and effective structure, performance and armament capabilities, the OV-10 Bronco has proven itself as both an incredible aircraft and a piece of treasured American aviation history and innovation. If you’re an aviation enthusiast, an Armed Forces vet, or even an extraordinarily passionate civilian finding themselves interested in military history, this restoration project is a story several decades in the making.
Target spotters, known as FAC (Forward Air Control), play an critical role in guiding CAS (Close Air Support) against hostiles, which includes air strikes and aerial ordnance delivered in close proximity to friendly forces. FAC had its first operations in the 1960s and has undergone multiple innovations and changes ever since. FAC primarily served as air strike controllers, while also proving vital as intelligence sources, munitions experts, communications specialists and on-scene commanders of strike forces. During the Vietnam War, FACs helped troops maneuver through unfamiliar and difficult terrain, assisted logistic supply lines reach detached units deep into enemy territory, as well as evacuate and escort injured personnel. The OV-10 Bronco was a notable forward air controller during its time.
The Vietnam War was truly a highly-demanding and arduous military operation. In order to understand how truly taxing the conflict was, it’s important for a little historical context.
The Vietnam War shaped the world during the years of 1955 to 1975. It was a war between Communist North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh and South Vietnam with its principal ally, the United States. In 1954, the Geneva Convention established the 17th parallel effectively dividing the nation of Vietnam into two. Since North Vietnam was pledged to Communism, USA president Dwight Eisenhower gave his support to South Vietnam in 1955, just shy of military intervention. In 1957, suspected communist supporters in South Vietnam were labelled as “Viet Cong.” This further widened the chasm between the North and the South. Attritions eventually culminated in the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, the USS Maddox was attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats while on international waters. President Kennedy was assassinated, Lyndon B. Johnson took office and controversially decided to send US troops to South Vietnam in 1965, thus marking the start of complete military participation of America in the war.
Vietnam is geographically diverse, with tropical flatlands, rolling hills and densely forested mountain ranges. The Viet Cong are locals of Vietnam and highly adept in maneuvering through these different terrains. They came to be known as hardy jungle-fighting guerrilla warriors that struck fear in the hearts of American soldiers. It was only natural since American troops found themselves in a difficult position trying to adapt to the complexities of the Vietnam landscape.
One particular hurdle that proved even more difficult than average was the controlling of the Ho Chi Minh trail. This “trial” actually wasn’t a single, homogenous trail at all—it was a logistics route with a vast winding network of roads and tunnels that snaked from North to South Vietnam, even reaching all the way into neighboring Laos and Cambodia. Traversing the Ho Chi Minh trail had to be done on foot, and this is a challenge made more difficult by the constant threat of communist guerrillas lurking behind every bush and tree cover.
That’s a quick view at the context of the Vietnam War. The US armed forces were deployed in Vietnam which contained difficult landscapes for them to maneuver in, faced with guerrilla soldiers that were highly-adept with jungle and mountainous terrain. This is exactly why Forward Air Control had such a vital part to play in the Vietnam War. Forward Air Control provided ground troops and command centers a much needed birds-eye view of the field, giving the US forces the intelligence required to properly plan military operations.
The OV-10 Bronco was an outstanding forward air control platform. It had more maneuverability than jets of the era, and more speed and versatility than helicopters. Developed to handle Counter-Insurgency operations in particularly rough settings, the OV-10 Bronco was developed with outstanding versatility, armament capabilities and maneuverability. It provided forward air control, close-in fire support, aerial reconnaissance, target-marking, helicopter escort and liaison. It’s panoramic “greenhouse-style” two-person cockpit gave its pilots vision over a large area of their surroundings.
With the help of the OV-10 Bronco and other aircrafts used in FAC, close air support operations were conducted successfully even in tight areas like the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The OV-10 was also multi-faceted in its use, with evacuation made possible with its roomy utility bay.
The OV-10 was the “terror on the trail,” because it proved to answer the challenge posed by hostile guerrilla operations with its many capabilities and characteristics suited specifically for jungle warfare and forward air control. Help us restore and support this piece of American aviation.
by Michael Jarvis | Jan 24, 2018 | News
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 recognized the need for a specialized light aircraft that can fight the enemy upfront, close and direct. It was because of this need of a unique warbird that the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was conceptualized and developed.
The Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is special in that it is the link between the jet and the helicopter and that it has exclusive characteristics that both do not possess. It’s not as fast as the jet, but it exceeds its maneuverability. At the same time, it’s not as slow as the helicopter, but it beats it by far in terms of versatility. It’s in its own ballpark, truly.
The OV-10 was developed specifically for COIN-related missions, and while it was in the skies in Vietnam it handled close-in fire support, aerial reconnaissance, forward air control, target-marking, helicopter support and escort, and liaison. High-profile, up-close mission operations were where it excelled the most thanks to its unique design characteristics.
Here are 10 things the beloved OV-10 Bronco is able to do.
1. It maneuvers beautifully.
For those who have seen the OV-10 Bronco in flight, there’s no denying its maneuvering capabilities. Bob Hoover, one of America’s foremost precision aerobatic pilots has consistently displayed the flight capabilities of the aircraft at multiple air shows. The Bronco has been able to handle a wide variety of intricate missions and operations thanks to its 8g performance characteristics at speeds up to 350 knots. It has an all-mechanical, dual flight control system with a wide range of speeds and an impressively short turning radius, making it deadly-efficient at setting up attack maneuvers, as well as
breathtaking when performing at air shows.
2. It can take a hit.
The OV-10 Bronco is outfitted with over 325 pounds of armor plating, and a bullet resistant windshield that protects the sensitive cockpit area of the aircraft. Furthermore, it has five self-sealing fuel tanks filled with explosion resistant foam which has been proven to resist heavy barrages of small arms fire and some degrees of heavy duty damage.
3. It can operate in tiny and rough airfields.
OV-10 Bronco had its landing capacities tested on a specially-made washboard type of runway. These runways are developed with ridges in such a way that normal automobiles during the time period would lose function at 13 miles per hour. The washboard runway proved no issue to the Bronco, but was a major inconvenience to the pilot. Imagine driving the aircraft
quickly down a very rocky road. Yikes!
But The OV-10 stood up to these tests. It was designed with fully reversible, counter- rotating aluminum propellers as well as unique landing mechanisms that allowed it to land and take off on both limited, rough and unimproved airfields.
4. It offers great visibility.
In order to fulfill its counter-insurgence mission, and further increase effectiveness in low-flying and up-close aerial attack or support operations, pilots needed visibility. The OV-10 had a “green-house” type cockpit where tandem cockpit seating enjoyed panoramic visibility. This feature was perfect for intensive visual observation of targets and marks, as well as the
execution of demanding maneuvers.
5. It is incredibly versatile.
During the Vietnam War, the OV-10 Bronco was used by the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Air Force. Each of these branches of the US military needed the aircraft for their own specific purposes. Thus it was normal to see the OV-10 acting as helicopter escort, or in the air for ground attack, observation and light logistic duties and forward air control.
Along the Mekong Delta, OV-10s were used by the navy for light attack operations and aerial riverine assault and/or patrols.
It’s also designed towards versatility. Since it was supposed to fulfill a forward aerial assault craft, it needed to adapt to the possible situations. Thus it was developed in such a way that it could utilize automotive fuel (since it was abundant in the front lines), and that its engines and airplane parts could be disassembled, maintained and attached with common hand tools.
6. It packs a punch.
“Target-marking and light attack ordnance on target” is an understatement for the OV-10’s firepower capabilities. Here’s a quick rundown of its possible armaments, per the choice of the crew:
- (4) 7.62mm machine guns with over 2000 rounds of internal capacity
- 5 storage stations that can accommodate different kinds of firepower and ordnances up to 3600 lbs
- A center line station for a variety of uses from firepower, fuel, or storage
- 2 outboard wing stations for sidewinder rockets or Zuni missiles
- Napalm store capabilities
- Ouch, indeed.
7. It has a zero-speed, zero-altitude ejection system.
Thanks to the aircraft’s engineers, this ejection system has saved countless of pilots’ lives. When practiced correctly, it is incredibly useful and efficient—obviously, as it has the capability of saving someone’s life in the middle of a dogfight or before taxi.
8. It has both military and civil uses for its utility bay.
OV-10s are used in the state of California by CalFire for firefighting purposes. This is unsurprising, seeing that its utility bay can be used for numerous purposes. Five to six military personnel are able to fit in the utility bay for transportation or sudden surprise attacks in the heart of enemy territory. For medical purposes, the OV-10’s utility bay can carry two litter patients as well as a medical attendant.
9. It’s the workhorse it needs to be.
The OV-10 is confidently versatile and can be easily modified to fit a wide range of tasks. It can also carry up to 3200 pounds of supplies. As shown by its records during the Vietnam War, OV-10s required an average of 3.3 maintenance hours per flight hour with operational readiness close to 90%. Simply, it can be in the air for a very long time.
10. It brings people together.
The Navy Squadron VAL-4 “Black Ponies” were renown during the Vietnam War as huge successes in the piloting of the OV-10 Bronco. This warbird served the United States under the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Navy. Who knows how many lives it had saved or how many people felt a tremendous wave of relief to hear the roar of its engines and know
they were watched over.
The OV-10 Bronco has been a symbol of sorts for veterans and aircraft enthusiasts of ruggedness, versatility and reliability in the skies. Because of that, a team of specialists and committed individuals have come together for the sole purpose of the restoration and continued support of flying the iconic plane. That’s us from the OV-10 Bronco project.
Right now, we have the first of seven OV-10 Broncos under inspection and repair. We’re on an exciting mission of building a small squadron of OV-10 Broncos for commercial and airshow operations that will be in conjunction with the Mangic Foundation, a foundation that believes in hands-on work, giving people a hand up, and making a tangible difference in the lives of those they help. We’re in need of all the help we can get.
If you’re interested in learning more about the project and how you can help restore a piece of history while doing your part in building those communities in need, check out our website at www.ov10squadron.com.
#FlyingBroncos
@FlyingBroncos
@OV10.Squadron
Recent Comments