I saw an OV-10 for the first time in April 1969 at Vung Tau, Vietnam. Later, some would show up at my location at Vinh Long, where they might be inclined to give us a little airshow. What I am waiting for now though, is an AH-1G Cobra. I was an engine specialist but got an opportunity to fly a Cobra from the front seat. "Take over while I write some things down." We were on a test flight, at 2:30 AM with the pilot asleep in the back seat. I didn't know he was asleep until I started a left turn and a shallow dive that woke him up. I made the turn because it was pitch black ahead of me and I didn't think it would be a good idea to fly on instruments with a broken attitude gyro up front.
Thanks for sharing that. I never got a ride in the Cobra but we did regularly FAC while riding in the Army OH-58s . I gotta say 60 kts skimming the skids in the trees was every bit as exciting as 500’ at 500 kts in the F-4. I flew with some excellent Warrant Officer pilots.
@@srbarlow An OH-6A I was in while coming back from fixing another one, was skimming along at about 10 feet. Up ahead there were two dudes in conical hats peacefully sitting on top of a rice paddy dike. We are boring in on them, with the pilot aiming the skids right at them. I'm thinking they better jump or their are going to be two new kebabs on the front or a helluva wreck as we roll into a ball. Well, one jumped left and the other dove left, so a collision was avoided, by a very slim margin. Further on, the birds were flying up and getting hit by rotors. Then one got even and took out our left bubble. Yeah, good times were had by all that day.
Russ, I spent almost 14 yrs. At Edwards. I worked for the Air Force at Bldg 3940 and 1440, Mission Control Centers. I transitioned over to NASA in 1981, and used to fly out Fox Field to LAX and connecting flights from there. My kids spent many happy hours at Fox Field in the Apollo capsule that was there. I miss the views of the night sky there. I used to pull off of Rosamond Blvd. and sit on the hood of my old Ford Granada and look at the night sky. I miss the desert still!
Another good review Russ. Thanks. They still have the USAF cockpit layout (German 'B/Z' model) with USMC paint job. Most don't realize there is a lot difference between the USMC and USAF cockpits. I'll be more than happy to provide input if someone wants to model a USMC/USN version.
Thanks for a great review, Russ. I always enjoy hearing your insights. This looks like a wonderful model of the OV-10. Also, have a very happy 50th anniversary!
Russ, I was a Nail FAC out of Nakhon Phanom RTAFB in ‘70-71. I agree that the OV was probably the most fun I had in the Air Force (C-130’s after the war). In the intervening 53 years I’ve often dreamed of flying the Bronco again but as dreams usually do, the always deteriorated and never were satisfying. That simulator perhaps offers the best opportunity yet to scratch a real old itch. I’d probably kit it out with the 230 gallon C/L tank, two pods of Willie-Pete, all 2000 rounds of 7.62mm and go out and mark targets for fun. Do you think there’s some simulated AAA (23 and 37 mm) in FS to make things interesting? Seriously you’ve got me thinking of setting up a personal simulator for this and DCS as well as the Boeing and other birds I flew for the airline. Thanks for a fine review.
Home Simulation can be a great retirement hobby especially if you like tinkering with computers. I’m a frustrated engineer that didn’t get much of that kind of stuff in the cockpit so I love that part of it. It is definitely a cheaper way to scratch the aviation itch than real airplanes Have you tried VR? Definitely the best immersion. MSFS and XP12 both have no tactical stuff. DCS is great for that but the OV-10 there is really lame compared to AzurPoly’s Bronco. Great to hear from a real FAC…. I only served in Germany between wars. Thanks for your service.
Loved the video. Coming from an actual OV-10 pilot, it has great value. I live in the Sacramento area where the forest service bases several Broncos. I love watching them fly over on their wat to the Sierra. Thank you for the video and thank you for your service
Thanks very much for this, I used to fly the OV-10 a lot in FSX and I bought "A lonely kind of war" because it was such a great plane, you've convinced me to buy it!
Fantastic video. Excellent discussion about the throttles and condition levers. Your description of the area around Edwards made me remember my time in the high desert. When you said you were at George AFB, my ears really perked up. I was at George twice, with the 479th FMS, Bomb Dump, in 69-70, then again after my return from Kadena, Okinawa, with the 435th MMS, Bomb Dump. I worked midnight flightline delivery, as crew chief, from 72-73. Really enjoyed my time there. I lived in San Diego, so home every weekend. Looking forward to getting the OV-10.
Yes George was nice… always from crazy LA but San Burdoo was just over the mountain. I remember the low costal clouds would come over the hills and seem to evaporate as the hit the warm clear skies in the desert
Another GREAT video sir. I was looking at this on TTM stream yesterday and said, have to see what Russ says about it. Your endorsement means a LOT. Hope to see you in Vegas in June, hope you're not quite so busy this time so we can chat. Loved seeing these in the 70's flying.
Unfortunately I will miss for the first time in years due to 50th anniversary celebration with family. I couldn't convince then to go to Vegas instead of the Beach.😔
I always enjoy and look forward to your interesting and well done reviews. Great job here too! Your background in the military and beyond in aviation lends great credibility to your reviews. Thanks for all that you do! I have enjoyed the other freeware Bronco and I can’t wait to go skimming along at tree top level in it. I will buy the Azure Poly Bronco the day it is released.
Thank you for the fantastic video! It's great to hear that Azurpoly's Bronco is so close to the real one. I've seen this particular aircraft F-AZKM quite a few times at airshows. It's an awesome machine. I can't wait to try it out in the sim.
This was a great video and I loved hearing your stories from this magnificent bird. I also spent a lot of time at WJF, I would take my students there for pattern work since VNY was too busy. It’s such a quiet airport these days, but they keep some S2 trackers there during fire season.
Thanks for this video! I've really enjoyed the freeware OV-10, but I'll be buying this AzurPoly version as soon as it's available. One of my all time favorite FSX add-ons was the Aerosoft OV-10, and this new model looks to surpass it. Thanks for your service Russ! I'm a former USAF C-130 (now retired E models) pilot who's been flying for a major airline since 1998. As an old Allison T-56/Hamilton Standard prop Herc pilot, I agree with your assessment of turboprop modeling in MSFS.
Thanks for the review and pilot’s insights! I also liked CG’s review. The Bronco is one of my favorite aircraft, alongside the F-14, so it’s really sweet to have both available in the sim. I’ve always dreamed of owning/flying a Bronco and the Pimax Crystal + Dikennek/Split-Air mod for DCS has mostly sated that desire. I believe they’re modeled after that same airframe. I’d love to see a full fidelity one come to DCS, especially so if we could get both the short nose A variants and the long nose D+/G+! Unlike the Air Force (RIP A-10), the attack & FAC roles are some of my favorite air missions. Hoping to see your thoughts on the HB F-4E soon!
Thanks for this. Great video. Always nice to have a review by someone familiar with the real machine. Any chance you’ll do a review of the DCS F-4E when it releases?
I've been enjoying the free OV-10 mod for DCS. AzurPoly picks interesting aircraft to make for MSFS and really provides good bang for the buck. Definite purchase!
Cool review, thank you very much. And from a formerbOV-10 pilot. Cant be any better! I love Azur Polys planes and know they do a very good job in every regard and I will certainly buy this one too. As Pimax user, I'm keen to try that big vr-friendly glasshouse. May I ask for a little review about the extreme flight envelope of this plane and how close it feels in sim to the real one? Thinking about yaw behavior, inverse yaw, stalls and spins etc. I'm very much interested what you think as a former Bronco pilot and beta tester.
One of my UPT classmates showed up at Sembach late 1980, Wayne Knittel. This airplane is a must-buy for me. I downloaded your -1CL PDF...thanks for that. I really appreciate that you included the Performance Tab Data for future backcountry touring. Any chance you might dust off your IP qualifications and consider a video demonstrating STOL performance and TOLD calculations? Asking for a friend. And what sim throttle quadrant are you using, trying to think about the Power and Condition lever assignments.
It's been over 40 years so I may not be that reliable as an OV-10 IP but perhaps. I'm using a HoneyComb Bravo now since I need 4 axes. I am thinking of creating some detents to easily feel in VR for condition levers and power levers.
The EGT/TIT gauge isn't accurately modeled in regard to start procedure, however. EGT should initially rise during lightoff, then peak and go back down as more air volume blows through the engine core. The Azurpoly Bronco models a simple linear EGT rise during start, which seems to be tied directly to engine RPM itself. I noticed that the author of this video made sure to go to outside views at strategic moments during engine starts so this bug isn't apparent, lol.
Wow I did not even know about this airplane until an hour ago. A real surprise drop in greatest quality to sweeten the wait for the BlackSquare Turbine Duke :) The visual quality looks outstanding and on par with the HeatBlur F-14, and the visibility is outstanding. Pure VOR-navigation is possible with no screens inside the cockpit, a must-have in every hangar.
The one thing I miss about this aircraft was the Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhwwwwwww sound the props make while taxiing. It’s replicated in the game when the props reverse. I loved working on these birds. One of the airframes I worked on is on display at MCAS Miramar.
Great vid! Thank you! I'll have to pick this one up as I've been floating around in the freeware one, but wanted better fidelity. I'm also a VR pilot (and comm AMEL in real life 😁) but haven't had the privilege of flying some of these great planes that I wished I could as a kid. I'm still on Win 10 with an HP Reverb, but have been holding out for the unicorn Pimax 12K before jumping to win11, but may have to pick up a crystal light if the 12K never comes to fruition. I just subbed, so I'll go check your videos if you have any further thoughts on the Pimax. Safe and happy flights!
Excellent and very useful review! You have a new subscriber. And it was nice to listen to your real life story. 👍👍 From 6:02, the tablet (EFB) is now on the lower right of the cockpit, not on the seat. It is better, as we don't have to look down using the EFB. But, and it's a big but, unfortunately, activation of other items behind the EFB is possible! In my case, I had moved the EFB on the lower right side of the cockpit. As I wanted to turn off the Gunsight, I used the EFB to do it. But, but doing so, it inadvertently set the LEFT ENGINE EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVE to off! As this was not a conscious action by myself, I didn't expect the left engine to go off. So, I didn't see at the time that the LEFT ENGINE EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVE was off! As I didn't know exactly what happened, thinking it was a bug of some sort, I decided to go land the aircraft. I thought it was an opportunity to go back gliding, so I turned off the right engine, to see how this aircraft glides. I had just enough height and speed to go back and land onto the runway for a smooth landing. Video on my YT...
@@r4microdsdon’t know about you but for me I had the opportunity to take the 7-day option and not go to Germany since it was a 3 year assignment and I only had two years left on my active duty service commitment. When I threatened to play that card to avoid the OV-10 the guy at Military Personnel center threatened to assign me to two years non-flying assignment as the commissary officer in Minot, ND. If he was bluffing I will never know but in retrospect I am glad I flew the Bronco.
I started my flying after a stint at the Air Force Weapons Lab as a physicist. Shemya Alaska and Minot always seemed to be the go to threats from those guys. Hilariously, my sister separated a few years ago and told me her favorite assignment was Minot!
Thank you. You've explained so much more that it makes it more immersable. I enjoy flying this amazing aircraft in VR and would love to see the real thing.....John (UK)🇬🇧
Great video thanks for this. I'd love to see you do some real world flights that you did in the Bronco, so we can copy an authentic profile while you tell the stories. :)
Definitely sold on this one! Can the sights be removed? They block the forward view quite a bit and spoil the otherwise great visibility. If not, hopefully that will be a feature that will be added to the Bronco in the near future. Thanks for the review.
I used to live in Lancaster. I'll never forget Apollo Park. Was a little boy then, but I remember hearing a unholy roar coming from the east and looked over and saw a B-17 coming into KWJF. Live in Colorado now, and it's not nearly as fun aviation-wise as California was.
I remembered seeing quite a bit of the Bronco (USAF's OV-10) coming in for landing in Da Nang AF during the 1972 periods. Their call sign is "Nail" whose primary job was to conduct air strike (FAC) in the Trail and supports the SF insert/extract in the trail over the fence.
Russ, I downloaded your 737 zibo panel for touchscreen as well as purchased the overhead. The switches on the free downloaded panel for the mcp do not flip or illuminate but when I press them they still work and flip on/off on the game. The rotating switch’s like heading and altitude do move and work properly on the panel. Whats wrong with it? I can’t figure it out.
Did you ever get to fire any of the weapons in real life? Also, an explanation or demo flight of a kind of realistic mission would be great, so we know how to fly it. For example, I had no idea it was flown at low altitude, I imagined it sort of loitered high up, pointing out targets for people.
You may already have these but there are PDF flight manuals you can download here both USAF and NATOPS. blackpony.org/ov10tos.htm The OV-10B they are modeling is still flying in some French historical association with registration F-AZKM. It has no Oxygen requlator but has two additional guarded battery switches for two batteries. I don't think the Navy or USMC had those did they?
Hi Russ, whenever I need help with settings, I always look at your channel. I have been flying a Gulfstream 980 PropJet Commander 695 for the last 25 years. I have been flying MSFS for a year now. Here's my problem. There is no TC in MSFS, but I found a close resemblance, the AzurPoly OV-10 Bronco. It has the same Garrett TPE-331 engines as my TC. My problem is: I can't get the Power Lever/Condition Levers to configure to their proper detents and settings. I use the Honeycomb BTQ. I watched your cursory explanation in this video, but still can't get it right. If you could do a Tutorial on this or point me in the right direction, it would be most appreciated. Cheers mate! Mike from San Antonio Texas
The throttle calibration doesn’t work for me. I set ground start to 20%, and flight idle to 50%, then saved. The levers will only travel from idle to full power. They won’t go to ground start or reverse, no matter what numbers I use. Any ideas what my slow brain is missing? Thanks!
@@srbarlow I did, but I was able to get it to work by clicking on the Reverse Axis checkbox on the tablet. It was odd that it worked, but now that it does, I’m not complaining. Great plane! 😀
