Subdeacon Joe Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 That's a great combination. I've never seen a Bronco used in immediate conjunction with anything else before. I knew they were used that way but never saw it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Dont want to be on the downhill end of that trio! Imis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 The TC on the tail of the two Skyraiders identifies them as belonging to the 1st Air Comando Squadron later called the 1st Special Operations Squadron. Call sign Hobo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 That's like a little skinny kid walking with his two Dobermans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 All FACs are documented mental cases. The Spads are there to keep the FAC under control. Otherwise he might land, jump out and open a can of whoopass on the NVA troops, beating, pistol whipping and biting them into submission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 All hail to those airborne FAC's! I don't believe they use them anymore. Lot of articles in Air Force magazine about tactical AF troops on the ground right there in the mud with the Marines and Army troops. They can call in all sorts of tacair, from F-16's, to B-1's, B-2's and B-52's! Oh, yes, they can also call in a flying tank or two...you know, the ones that sound like the aircraft consumed ten cans of beans each time they shoot....brrrrrrrrp! (You know...30 mike-mike beans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 5 hours ago, Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 said: That's like a little skinny kid walking with his two Dobermans. Don't you believe for a second that the Bronco was anything like a skinny kid. It was a viperous, nasty piece of work in its own right, just not as heavily armed as Big Brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tall Tale Todd Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 14 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: Don't you believe for a second that the Bronco was anything like a skinny kid. It was a viperous, nasty piece of work in its own right, just not as heavily armed as Big Brother. You always need to watch out for the clever ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 38 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: Don't you believe for a second that the Bronco was anything like a skinny kid. It was a viperous, nasty piece of work in its own right, just not as heavily armed as Big Brother. And it had a radio and wasn't afraid to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Saw one come down a river for about a half a mile with a mini-gun pod and a few rockets all going like hell on a track. Then it simply went up out of range and maybe eight or nine minutes later four F4 Phantoms came along and finished everything quite nicely. Only time I saw both in close proximity to one another, and have no idea whether they were working together or not. I always thought a OV-10A would make a nifty neat-o keen private plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 40 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: I always thought a OV-10A would make a nifty neat-o keen private plane. https://www.guns.com/news/2017/10/31/ny-school-selling-ov-10-bronco-some-assembly-required-photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 During the Cali fires there were several OV-10s spotting for air tankers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said: During the Cali fires there were several OV-10s spotting for air tankers. Yep. During the Tubbs and Nun Fires I watched the air assets. Several of the OV-10s, a C-130, a couple of DC-10s. There was one that https://www.flightradar24.com/38.48,-122.65/12 IDed as an L-1011. Some of those OV-10 pilots must have a death wish. Watched 'em just barely clearing the hill tops so they could get down and get a good look. Of course, the pilots of those borate bombers (yeah, I know, they don't use borate anymore) don't seem too keen on a long life either. God bless their brave and crazy souls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I used to fly with a guy who was a FAC and flew the OV-10 in Vietnam. Also flew F-100s. He said the Bronco had an incredible rate of climb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said: Of course, the pilots of those borate bombers (yeah, I know, they don't use borate anymore) don't seem too keen on a long life either. God bless their brave and crazy souls. A couple of pics from my son when he a USFS Hotshot. First photo the plane clipped the trees. Second shot was just before my son got "bombed". Those P-3 and P-2 pilots flew L-O-W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I used to work on OV-10s in the 80s. You guys are right, it IS a BAAAD little aircraft. The "A" model had 5 external stores stations that could carry rockets, flares and, as Forty Rod mentioned, gunpods. But it wasn't a minigun, it was a 20mm gun, just like a Cobra helicopter. And it could carry two of them! The wing stations could carry AIM 9 Sidewinders for air to air combat! Inside the sponsons, it carried four M60 machine guns. That's probably what Forty thought was a mini gun. The "D" model had advanced sensors, a FLIR in the nose. It looked like R2D2's head turned upside down. The wing stations couldn't carry Sidewinders, but usually carried drop tanks. A couple times, we loaded them with napalm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 29 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said: I used to work on OV-10s in the 80s. You guys are right, it IS a BAAAD little aircraft. The "A" model had 5 external stores stations that could carry rockets, flares and, as Forty Rod mentioned, gunpods. But it wasn't a minigun, it was a 20mm gun, just like a Cobra helicopter. And it could carry two of them! The wing stations could carry AIM 9 Sidewinders for air to air combat! Inside the sponsons, it carried four M60 machine guns. That's probably what Forty thought was a mini gun. The "D" model had advanced sensors, a FLIR in the nose. It looked like R2D2's head turned upside down. The wing stations couldn't carry Sidewinders, but usually carried drop tanks. A couple times, we loaded them with napalm! I can see how it might take four M-60s and a 20 mike mike to sound like a mini-gun from half a mile away. What ever, I fell in love with the Bronco that afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: I can see how it might take four M-60s and a 20 mike mike to sound like a mini-gun from half a mile away. What ever, I fell in love with the Bronco that afternoon. Just the m-60s, @ 550 rounds per minute each would do it, but yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantry Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 20 hours ago, Trailrider #896 said: All hail to those airborne FAC's! I don't believe they use them anymore. Lot of articles in Air Force magazine about tactical AF troops on the ground right there in the mud with the Marines and Army troops. They can call in all sorts of tacair, from F-16's, to B-1's, B-2's and B-52's! Oh, yes, they can also call in a flying tank or two...you know, the ones that sound like the aircraft consumed ten cans of beans each time they shoot....brrrrrrrrp! (You know...30 mike-mike beans! There is a OA-10 variant of the A-10, I believe it is the standard A-10 with pilots specially trained to control/direct other aircraft in the CAS role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 12 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: I can see how it might take four M-60s and a 20 mike mike to sound like a mini-gun from half a mile away. What ever, I fell in love with the Bronco that afternoon. Having met several FACs, it wouldn’t surprise me that somebody did a field modification and mounted a mini on that Bronco. The initial concept was to just use marking rockets for the fast movers to zoom in on. But the FACs wanted in on the fun and guns began to appear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Chantry said: There is a OA-10 variant of the A-10, I believe it is the standard A-10 with pilots specially trained to control/direct other aircraft in the CAS role. Speaking of A-10's and CAS, (that's Close Air Support) the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has been awarded the Air Force's Gallant Unit Citation, only the fifth one awarded, and the first to a fighter squadron! This was for "work" done in Syria, which the pilots said was unlike anything they did in Afghanistan! In one instance, they were chasing snipers inside a building, and used a Maverick missile to take down the 4-story structure along with the bad guys inside! For a bird that was scheduled to be completely removed from inventory, the A-10 is now undergoing a "re-winging" program to strengthen and lengthen the life of the aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Trailrider #896 said: Speaking of A-10's and CAS, (that's Close Air Support) the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has been awarded the Air Force's Gallant Unit Citation, only the fifth one awarded, and the first to a fighter squadron! This was for "work" done in Syria, which the pilots said was unlike anything they did in Afghanistan! In one instance, they were chasing snipers inside a building, and used a Maverick missile to take down the 4-story structure along with the bad guys inside! For a bird that was scheduled to be completely removed from inventory, the A-10 is now undergoing a "re-winging" program to strengthen and lengthen the life of the aircraft. How come the A-10s are in a fighter squadron? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 8 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: How come the A-10s are in a fighter squadron? Air Force apparently considers them fighter aircraft. They are part of Air Combat Command, which has all the fighters. B-1 bombers used to be in ACC, but were transferred over to Global Strike Command along with all bombers, conventional, nuke or dual capability several years ago. BTW, USAF apparently does NOT designate the A-10's in the 74th as "OA-10's". You can't tell the players without an official scorecard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Trailrider #896 said: Air Force apparently considers them fighter aircraft. They are part of Air Combat Command, which has all the fighters. B-1 bombers used to be in ACC, but were transferred over to Global Strike Command along with all bombers, conventional, nuke or dual capability several years ago. BTW, USAF apparently does NOT designate the A-10's in the 74th as "OA-10's". You can't tell the players without an official scorecard. Obviously they need a new command for ground attack dudes. Good career path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/4/2019 at 8:12 AM, Utah Bob #35998 said: Having met several FACs, it wouldn’t surprise me that somebody did a field modification and mounted a mini on that Bronco. The initial concept was to just use marking rockets for the fast movers to zoom in on. But the FACs wanted in on the fun and guns began to appear. Field mods? Like the Ma Deuce we mounted on a M-151A1? We took it off after a day or two, Darn near shook that poor little"jeep" to pieces. Messed up some of the guys' hearing, too. And then there was the modular armor we rigged for another Mutt. (Couldn't get the regular kit so we had some fellers make one.) Had the only M151 in SE Asia that weighed as much as tank and wasn't anywhere near as fast. Mileage stunk, too. I think we mounted three M60s on that one Lots of things tried, but I was Battalion Ordnance supply officer and I spent a lot of time gathering up stuff like 1928 and M1 Thompsons, M3A1 grease guns, a half dozen M2 carbines, some AKs and SKSs, a few French MAT49, a Swedish K or two and a lot of other such goodies. I had a Smith Model 60 for awhile, first stainless gun I ever saw. My best buddies were a '28A1 and / M1 Tommy guns and a P35 Browning. I wanted a F-1 Aussie SMG, but the flight lieutenant (pronounced "loynent') said it would be easier for him to get me a Canberra bomber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Balthazar Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Glad I found this cool thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 On 4/4/2019 at 6:42 PM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: Field mods? Like the Ma Deuce we mounted on a M-151A1? TIred of those pesky 2 am firebase ground assaults? Try the Ronco Super M151, Now modified with the secret ingredient M134. Best remedy in country.:D (Extra truck batteries and 10,000 rounds of ammo not included) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 40 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: TIred of those pesky 2 am firebase ground assaults? Try the Ronco Super M151, Now modified with the secret ingredient M134. Best remedy in country. (Extra truck batteries and 10,000 rounds of ammo not included) You'd be amazed how hard it would have been to steal one of those. I had heard that some enterprising man up north of us got two and put them in the back of a deuce and a half, but never heard how it worked out....or if it even took place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 10 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: You'd be amazed how hard it would have been to steal one of those. I had heard that some enterprising man up north of us got two and put them in the back of a deuce and a half, but never heard how it worked out....or if it even took place. Loach went down outside Firebase Jaimie. A company went out and the crew was fine but scared sh**less. They just wanted to get out of there and didn’t care what ended up missing off the bird. Everything was destroyed with thermite and C4 to prevent capture. Well, that’s what the after action report said anyway. The jeep was nonexistent, having been written off as a combat loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 2016 article about the Bronco. Says it's still fighting, for us, in Iraq. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a19887/ov-10-war-isis/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 9, 2019 Author Share Posted April 9, 2019 3 hours ago, David Balthazar said: Glad I found this cool thread I love all the little bits of history that would be forgotten that the....shall we say...more seasoned pards contribute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 On 4/4/2019 at 7:42 PM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: Field mods? Like the Ma Deuce we mounted on a M-151A1? We took it off after a day or two, Darn near shook that poor little"jeep" to pieces. Messed up some of the guys' hearing, too. And then there was the modular armor we rigged for another Mutt. (Couldn't get the regular kit so we had some fellers make one.) Had the only M151 in SE Asia that weighed as much as tank and wasn't anywhere near as fast. Mileage stunk, too. I think we mounted three M60s on that one Lots of things tried, but I was Battalion Ordnance supply officer and I spent a lot of time gathering up stuff like 1928 and M1 Thompsons, M3A1 grease guns, a half dozen M2 carbines, some AKs and SKSs, a few French MAT49, a Swedish K or two and a lot of other such goodies. I had a Smith Model 60 for awhile, first stainless gun I ever saw. My best buddies were a '28A1 and / M1 Tommy guns and a P35 Browning. I wanted a F-1 Aussie SMG, but the flight lieutenant (pronounced "loynent') said it would be easier for him to get me a Canberra bomber. What did you do with the Canberra? Don't talk bad about the FACs. I got to fly target marking missions with our FAC in a O1-A. We didn't shoot marking rockets, we opened the window and dropped out smoke grenades. It was amazing how much the little brown brothers objected to this practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 12 hours ago, Noz said: What did you do with the Canberra? Don't talk bad about the FACs. I got to fly target marking missions with our FAC in a O1-A. We didn't shoot marking rockets, we opened the window and dropped out smoke grenades. It was amazing how much the little brown brothers objected to this practice. Never got it. Didn't have room under my bunk for it and no one knew hot fly nor maintain it. Too bad, too. It was a pretty bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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