The OV-1 Mohawk and the OV-10 Bronco Similar But Very Different

[Sedalia Dave]

 

 

https://youtu.be/Tflg4yYtZeQ?si=OWtqG129yn9n6U-4

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

 

 

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

The OV-10 was a badass airplane, but not quite as much as that video makes it out to be. The rear mounted M197 shown was tried, but never adopted. There was a plan back in the late 80s called the D-SLEP plan. The D was the version of the OV-10 that was the latest upgrade, having advanced electronics in the nose that included RADAR and FLIR systems. It looked like R2D2's head mounted upside down. Part of the plan was to extend the wingtip several feet and mount Sidewinder rails on them. While the OV-10A had provisions for Sidewinders on the wing stations, they were replaced by regular bomb racks on the D model. But the part that had most people, especially the pilots, was to mount a turret from a Cobra helicopter under the fuselage that would be controlled with the FLIR system. Unfortunately, this never came about. The Marine Corps was all about Fast Movers, (jet aircraft), and helicopters, so the OV-10 was treated like a redheaded stepchild. I'm pretty sure that that attitude is what lead to the OV-10's removal from service.  

The red circle shows the FLIR on the nose.

This shows how the OV-10D SLEP would look.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Don't know much about the Mohawk but the Bronco was the meanest little bitch in the air.  Saw them a time or two in 'Nam, but they weren't an Army bird so I didn't get any up close look at them.

[Phantom Falcon, SASS # 46139]

I have flown both of these and each is fun to fly. YEs they are quite different and I would not like to fly combat missions in either one. Most of my in-country missions were controlled by OV-10s (Hostages out of Marble Mountain). Those pilots and all the helo pilots were some of the best aviators I've ever seen . I don't know how they were able to get into their birds because they all had huge balls. 

 

PF

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

I was assigned to a OV-! company in RVN in 1971-72. I wasnt an aviator so I only got to fly in them a few times. It was a very capable airplane.

 

Imis