A US Marine Corps requirement of the early 1960s for a Light Armed Reconnaissance Airplane (LARA) was met by the North American NA-300 design submission, and a contract for seven YOV-10A prototypes was placed in
1964, the first of them flying on 16 July
1965. With a slender two-seat fuselage
nacelle mounting a high-set monoplane
wing, the aircraft had twin tailbooms extending aft from the nacelles of the two
turboprop engines, each with a fin and
rudder, and interconnected by a tailplane/elevator assembly; the main units
of the tricycle landing gear retracted into
the engine nacelles. Six of the prototypes were powered by 447kW Garrett T76-G-6/8 engines, but had
one Pratt & Whitney YT74-CP-8/10
turboprops for comparative evaluation.
The OV-10A Bronco production version
had a 3.05m increase in wing span and more powerful T76-G-10/12 engines, the first flown on 6 August 1967, and 114 were built for the US Marine Corps. These were followed by 157 similar OV-10As for the US Air Force, these entering operational service in Vietnam in 1968. Under the US 'Pave Nail' programme, 15 were provided with special equipment for the location and illumination of targets by night. Other versions have included six OV-10B aircraft supplied to Germany as target tugs, followed by 18 turbojet-boosted OV-10B(Z) aircraft for the same role. Versions similar to the OV-10A have been supplied to Indonesia (16), Thailand (40) and Venezuela (16), under the respective designations OV-10F, OV-10C and OV-10E, and six US OV-10As have been transferred to the
Royal Moroccan air force. Two OV-10As were modified under a US Navy contract of 1970 to YOV-10D NOGS (Night Observation/Gunship System) aircraft to provide the US Marines with advanced night operational capability. Since evaluation of these aircraft, 17 US Marine Corps OV-10As have been converted to OV-10D NOS (Night Observation Surveillance) configuration, now equipped with FLIR (forward-looking infra-red) and a laser target illuminator.
I had the great job in the 1960's as a Test Project Engineer for North American Aviation and working in the wind tunnel testing the various design configurations for the OV-10A.
I was a pilot in VMO 4 (USMC reserves, Grosse Ile, Michigan) around 1969. We were given brand new OV 10s to fly and did we have fun. We had not flown fixed wing aircraft in years and it was sure fun getting to fly fixed wing again...hello Clark, Basinski, Sirlouis, Ballantyne and all you wonderful weekend warriors.
I was a pilot in the Navy's Light Attack Squadron Four (VAL-4, Black Ponies) in 1970-71 flying out of III and IV Corps. Unlike our USAF and USMC brethern who flew the OV-10, our mission was close air support for US and Vietnamese riverene forces, but that quickly expanded to US and Vietnamese army units and even Australians a few times. Our weapons load included 5 inch Zuni rockets (the ground troops' favorite), 2.75 inch rockets, a 20 mm cannon, 7.62 mini-gun pod, four sponson-installed machine guns, and flare pods for night operations. To say we loaded this aircraft to the gills is an understatement. In my 28 years of flying, nothing compared to this squadron. Our enlisted people were the most dedicated and enthusiastic folks you could hope for and our pilots gave it their all for the troops in contact on the ground.
As a USAF Forward Air Controller, I flew O-2s into Cambodia from Bihn Tui VNAF base in 1970-71. The Marines had OV-10s stationed there and carried 5-inch Zuni rockets on night missions in IV Corp.
I got to fly an OV-10 with my squadrom commander a few times and enjoyed its aerobatic capability. The control responses remindeded me of the T-37, but with much more responsive power. Excellant visibility, at least in daylight. It was an enjoyable plane to fly.
Back in 1969 I was in VS-41 as a AE3. At the time the Shop consisted of a Chief, a Second Class PO and myself. First day at work the chief told me to go out and change the generator on one of the four OV-10A's we had.We also had S2E Aircraft on the line. I spent eleven months working on the OV-10's. I volenteered for Val-4 just to stay with them but the Navy sent me to the east coast instead. I spent time tranning Marines at area 22 @ Camp Penelton.Engine changes only took about 1 /2 hour to complete.Of all aircraft I've been with this one was the most fun to work on.
I came across this site and looked for the OV-10. My association with the Bronco, was at VS-41 Air Anti Submarine Squadron 41 at Naval Air Station North Island Coronado California. Our squadron had three OV-10's and we trained the replacement pilots for the "Black Ponies" of VAL 4. one of the proudest accomplishments during my time in the Navy was to be a qualified plane captain on the line.\\ Navy plane captains are responsible for taking care of the aircraft while it is on the ground. fueling, post-flight and pre-flight inspections. The pilots who flew the OV-10 were a great bunch of guys. I was at VS-41 from September 1970 through Oct 1973. After all these years I only remember one of the Bronco pilots. a Lt Bruce Underkoffler. I hope I spelled his name right. He took me on a flight up to Camp Pendelton. on the way he let me take the stick a few times. The torso harness I was wearing was borrowed from a Lt. Baker. I promised him I would not get airsick and puke on his torso harness. Wrong! we were practicing touch and goes on small air strip at Pendelton on the third go around I began to feel queasy. the intercom didn't work, my shipmates had removed the barf bags and on the forth go around lost my lunch. Lt Underkoffler was very understanding an cut our flight short and headed back to North Island. On our arrival my fellow plane captains lined the flight line and saluted us. I spent a good portion of the evening cleaning the cockpit and Mr. Bakers Torso Harness. What a great aircraft and greater were thw men who were fortunate enough to be assigned to fly and work on them.
I love this airplane. It was great fun to fly and got me home after being hit over Laos. Me, my wife and two boys will always be grateful; especially the youngest. He was just a twinkle in my eye then!
If anyone is interested in the Marine OV-10 and how the Garrett Engine was supported under the watchful-eye of a civilian in Vietnam during 1968 /69; a book /memoir titled It's Not About The War is a must read. This book has over 30 pages of color photos taken by the author, many of which are of the OV-10 and T-76 Engine shop on the 1st Marine Air Wing Bases.
The Townsville Bulletin Review in Australia stated, "This is a survivor's memoir. In a word, harrowing".
Visit notaboutthewar.blogspot.com / to preview the book or e-mail on notaboutwar@yahoo.com
I want to comment about the North American OV-10 Bronco, I would have been very happy as a Aviation Enthusiast in the 1970s - 1980s If The Royal Austalian Airforce had then at least a dozen active Navy Army Air Force Bronco Squadrons in every States here in Australia and a few Static Broncos on display in the Australian Aviation here in Aviation Museums .
