One of my favorite aircraft, 2 crew and I think room for 2 to 4 personnel in the back compartment. I've been lucky enough to see one of these visit Manston in Kent a few years ago and the pilot was just having a ball, that plane could turn on a sixpence, utterly amazing. This plane just 'looks right', and what a great view from the cockpit. Thanks for posting.
Love watching OV10 videos. My father was the chief engineer for North American Aviation on this plane. I remember crawling on full size blueprints in our living room in Columbus Ohio when I was a kid.
Congratulations to your father and the team, then! This seems a very cool airplane, with a ton of great charateristics. I watched the promotional video, which really shows off the capabilities, even the excellent landing gear 'trailing link' suspension system. It looks like this aircraft could be a killer STOL aircraft with some modernised flaps /slats, et al!
Saved my ass several times in Vietnam strafing with it's 6 M-60's rockets and bombs. Used as forward observation aircraft could dive them roll back and hit them again
@@Flapjackbatter though, it does make a good spotter for civil use, California has about 2 or 3 of these for wildfire spotting , and channel 16 down in South Bend has one for storm chasing
Isn't losing one of two engines on take-off very rare (I mean for twin prop planes, generally)? Can't comms, avionics, digital be updated on this plane...not that I'm arguing for it; just curious. I mean they flew the thing in a combat zone in Gulf War and in 2015.
One of the most unique and versatile light attack/observation aircraft ever created. Although slow and vulnerable to ground fire and air to air combat from far superior fighter aircraft, the OV-10 is a deadly machine in the hands of a skilled pilot. Pilots absolutely love the giant glass bubble style cockpit which offers one of the most incredible field of views of any combat aircraft in existence. The pilot can look left or right and virtually see all the way to the ground with minimal roll. It can carry a wide array of munitions and armament similar to the A-10 minus the giant forward cannon on the A-10. The aircraft is also very maneuverable which is also a strong suit in close combat very low to the ground. It can quickly change directions, dive, roll, pull out, level off, and then sharply rotate upward at a decent rate of climb at speed, banking up and over, and back around in a dive for another attack pass. This can also help the aircraft avoid ground fire while doing dash and sweeps. These aircraft were brought back into service in 2015 for specialty missions in the middle east and continue to fly missions to this day. Many have since been converted to civilian use as well due to their extremely rugged design, superior visibility, very short takeoff and landing characteristics, low cost to fly (compared to other aircraft), low maintenance costs, very long service life.
Very nice video. This looks like a fun aircraft to fly, even when it isn't always blue side up. I always thought the Bronco was a neat looking aircraft, but watching this video gave the perspective that it was a really neat aircraft to fly. Thanks for the video, great job!
I remember the first time I read an article in popular science and fell in love with this plane. It's clearly still has a place in military operations.
I have NEVER seen such a beautiful aircraft before! - OMG! this thing is the meanest, yet graceful thing I have ever seen!. - I wonder if they have any here in Australia...Oh I I would be prepared to travel overseas just to have a ride in this - You people ar fantastic! the aircraft looks in mint condition - Can this be booked for a flight? Not kidding! I traveled from Australia to the UK just for some Software I LOVE the look if this thing.
my new fav plane! Amazing the firepower sting & multiple uses it saw in vietnam. Must respectfully disagree w/comment below 'this plane is ugly' -- the Bronco's a real beaut!
In 1978, m y brother Leon was killed, when his OV-10 crashed in mountains of South Korea, while he was on deployment with his Marine Airwing. Thank you for the memories of a real Warrior, who served three tours in Vietnam, and was a Marine's Marine!!! Missed you every day brother...
OV-10s are such a cool aircraft. Saw one recently at an air show and it was fantastic. They use them out here as a firefighting tool. I mean look at the view the pilot has - he or she can see a lot.
Like the first time I saw an A 10, this plane looks simple, well thought out and very useful for many roles where you really need the utility it offers. Since decommissioning our military has been looking for anything to replace it and has had to resort to several different aircraft. It would simply have taken an improved design of this plane to do most all of what they wanted without all the redevelopment. The company building them would likely find a very good market for both military and civilian variants, and it would be very welcome for short haul cargo operations on short runways. I could see these in alaska and all through small community airlines in the Canadian north, I guess some people really don't consider old designs being as good as new ones, but there again one company is restoring DC3's and installing turboprop engines to a waiting market.
The predecessor to the A-10 was the A-1 Skyraider or "Spad", NOT the OV ("O" observation) Notice the "A" for Attack. Similar configuration for the same mission: ground attack/troop support. Amazing to note that both carried very similar loads on about the same number of stations, one just being twin jet powered and carrying a truly bad-ass gun - and the other with a bad-ass radial up front. Both have high seats to see targets well, a tough wing with 11-13 stores stations, a good fuel load for loitering on target, and a "bathtub" of protection for the pilot. They could almost get their roots from the P-47 (Thunderbolt II name notwithstanding) but it really was a fighter/bomber that became a good ground attach a/c. There wasn't a true dedicated ground attack bird until the A-1 rumbled along. You could argue that the USMC "made" the Corsair into a ground attack a/c, but that still wasn't its primary mission. The OV-10 was specifically designed for FAC/COIN/FO missions and "light attack." Carrying about 5000 lbs doesn't stack up to the 16-18,000 lbs a Spad or Thunderbolt II carries. Carrying 5in Zunis, 19 shot 2.75in FFARs, gun pods, or even Sideeinders gave them some good teeth, but their responsiveness, visibility, and loitering capability made them perfect for their multirole mission requirements. (You could even put a few guys inside the aft fuselage and deliver them by parachute behind the lines or in hot spots as needed) One great aircraft, and the Marine Corps put them to full use over their years of service; and they fulfilled a role few a/c have truly done successfully and with such aplomb. Just like the Huey, they cut their teeth and came of age in Vietnam. Watched them at MCAS Camp Pendleton while stationed there with a Cobra squadron, and I would still love to have one in my hangar!
Back in the '80s, the outfit in Alaska to which I was assigned flew the O-2 Cessna as a FAC. It was supposed to upgrade to the OV-10s coming from Patrick AFB, but a pre-inspection revealed too much corrosion to be acceptable. and all were rejected.
FYI, I worked on OA-37B with the 23 TASS at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, we had only ONE UNO, OV-10, Marine, assisted with FAC missions. Loved the simplicity of the aircraft. I was USAF
Nice pics, but the Bronco makes its own music. I worked on them at Sembach AB. Music only belongs in music videos. It adds nothing to aviation or other technology videos. At all. Narration is best. Music doesn't convey information.
Very elegant Pilot. This Gentleman has very smooth and deliberate inputs to the aircraft. They aren't "jerky", like fighter pilots. Although either aircraft is for different purposes and ought to be operated differently.
One ride in one while in the USAF back in '70 (GIB) and I was HOOKED. Tried my level best to get an observer job and came whisper close to go to NKP and then to Cambodia. Would have been fun! .
Sweet! Reminded me of a Spain deployment when the CO flew his P3 over the squadron hangar with about 50 feet between left wing tip and hangar roof peak. He was at full power, and near full wingover bank. Not to be outdone, my friend Rocky was right behind him pushing the static discharge wick on the mad boom into a U shape in his own P3.
Watch the old black and white video of Bob Hoover demonstrating the capabilities of this aircraft, but, hey, when Hoover is flying what could anyone expect?! It is here on RU-vid.
6:50 Interesting modification at the rear fuselage. Looks like an aft-facing observation station for a 3rd crew member, complete with greenhouse bubble. I've never seen an OV-10 with that before. Good for SAR ops, perhaps?
Yeah, so you can miss any actual aircraft sounds that might be included. (Perish the thought!) Nothing like an obnoxiously repetitious techno-beat to enhance the flight experience!
Cool Tweey Bird. You guys should do a demonstration of a low altitude jump with a team from the rear like the U. S. Marines used to do. They'd get nice and low then pitch way up and the back of the fuselage would open with three paratroopers falling from the back end.
At the insistence of the navy seals they have pulled a couple of OV10s out of moth balls and are using them to fight ISIS, it seems like we have to learn the same lessons about close air support over and over again.
+John doe I hope they figure out how to replace the Bronc and the A-10 with another slow, maneuverable aircraft with bookoo armor. Then they should let the Army fly it! If this demands too much lead time DOD should take some flying Bronco airframes, put faster engines and more armor on them, and send them against ISIS.
@jack torrence I'm retired from Military aviation maintenance. I could do it, but if it's MY dream, I'll let someone else deal with maintenance while I go flying
How much sense would it make to pull a dozen of these great old OV-10s out of Davis-Manthon, retrofit’em, and send to Afghanistan in support of SWO Teams? They could literally stay on station all day long. Fast-mover jets are nice and all, but what an excruciating ‘burn rate’ in terms of operating cost. Even worse, they can’t always see what they’re hitting and always peeling off station for gas just when you need ‘em most....... Just saying.
Wouldn't it be nice to see all videos with no annoying music ? :-) I think they must be taught that in "video school" , to have annoying music playing that distracts a person from focusing on the video
