The OV-10 Bronco: Designed by Marines, Built for COIN Ops
The OV-10 Bronco is a unique airplane in military aviation. An Observation/Light Attack aircraft, the Bronco served for decades and was especially effective in Counterinsurgency or COIN operations. Learn about the development, operational history, and interesting features of this flying horse.
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Credits/Attributions:
"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
Department of Defense
Northrop Grumman
Lockheed Martin
Boeing
Raytheon
Pratt & Whitney
General Electric
German OV-10 Bronco: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3D animations are produced by me, Tog. Some Scenes were made using Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) You can download it for free here:
www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/
Bronco OV-10 mod used: splitair.gumroad.com/l/fwzxn
Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of the DOD, any government or company, now you know!
- Tog
#OV10 #Bronco #COIN
Пікірлер: 675
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@aking-plums6985
Ай бұрын
Great video as usual. Daft question, how much input do pilots have when new planes are being designed?
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
@@aking-plums6985 thank you and my guess is that pilots get involved at some point in the process. Especially test pilots.
@barryborton6732
Ай бұрын
Bien Hoa pronounced Ben Wah
On a day patrol off Hill 55 in early 1971, our squad of Marines got caught out in an open area of sand and were pinned down on the opposite side of the Arizona Territory at the Song Vu Gia river by an NVA ambush. The arty on hill 55 almost hit us with Willie Peter. I called for air support and got an OV-10 out of Da Nang with the callsign "HOSTAGE FANG." After he understood what side of the river we were on, he said, "Put your heads down, gents. This stuff bounces." He then proceeded to blast that side of the river and after that we were able to walk away without another hostile shot being fired at us. Brother, if you are out there and see this, many thanks. I will never forget. L/Cpl. P. D. "Gov" Regan, Mco 3/1 1st MARDIV. 👍
@painmt651
Ай бұрын
Demoed Fi!
@thetdchannel
28 күн бұрын
Good story!
@johnmoriarty6158
23 күн бұрын
@dogfightdiary5712 One of my relatives call sign was Hostage Six. VMO-2
@hippiesaboteur2556
10 күн бұрын
Hey sir, glad you & your marines made it out... and thanks for your service devil dog. Just wondering, on a semi-random other side not... wasn't Hill 55 also largely the hill where Carlos Hathcock operated out of during much of his time in-country??
@khb6686
6 күн бұрын
@@painmt651 What side were on the perfume river were you on?
So.. am I the only one that thinks that utilitarian vehicles are aesthetically pleasant ?
@GeorgeRuffner-iy7bm
Ай бұрын
No! 🙈🙉🙊 😎 🇺🇸
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Not at all, I think the OV-10 is a beautiful airplane and very much enjoyed making this video - thanks for commenting!
@donrush5311
Ай бұрын
Nope. My favorite plane for most of my life was the DC-3/C47.
@michaelslack4937
Ай бұрын
Nope
@bobverick
Ай бұрын
A-10, OV-10, A-29 are all beautiful aircraft.
My brother Leon served two tours in Vietnam in the back seat of an 0V10. Unfortunately, he and his pilot were killed in South Korea, in 1978, while on deployment. Thank you for for remembering. Rest in peace Lt. Leon Gingras.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Rest in peace Lt. Leon Gingras and thank you for sharing
@BillyJ244
Ай бұрын
I'm sorry for the loss of your brother. May he rest in peace. God bless all of the veterans.
@kennethbrooks4425
28 күн бұрын
RIP to your Warrior brother.
@leolyon2373
27 күн бұрын
@@kennethbrooks4425 Thank you on behalf of my brother and my family.
@raisingcaine5480
11 күн бұрын
I worked for your Brother Leon (Lee) in Maintenance Control and on the Flight Line as a Plane Captain 74-75 in VMO-2 at Camp Pendleton before leaving for OCS and eventually becoming a Naval Aviator, for which Lee was instrumental in helping me get accepted to the Enlisted Commissioning Program (Aviation). He was a mentor to me. Was in A-6 training with another former VMO-2 Pilot who knew Lee very well, Don Bruey, when we received word of his accident, and boy was that a shock. He was a CWO when I worked for him. A shock as well to see your post here! RIP Leon Gingras.
I promise you, no one has forgotten about the bronco!!!!
@brianb-p6586
Ай бұрын
I don't know how it could be forgotten... I can't go a week without seeing OV-10 Bronco videos in my KZread suggestions and posts in by Facebook feed.
@jerrymclean8075
Ай бұрын
Im glad they are bringing back the videos on the OV-10! They need to bring it back!! and live by the words if its not broke then dont fix it !@@brianb-p6586
@giantfactory
29 күн бұрын
I haven't. Then again, I never even knew about it till now...
@whyjnot420
29 күн бұрын
As shown by another reply, it is simply unknown by some people and you can't forget what you never knew. A lot of people. I get why. As awesome as it looks to anyone who knows what it is for, it really isn't anywhere near as sexy as an A-10 or AH-64 or really any other attack style platform. Not when a person is making some video that just needs something catchy (youtube, tv, streaming, doesn't matter, anything even just some random website). Especially once you get things that are so ludicrously iconic as brrrrrrrrrrrt.
@TexanUSMC8089
28 күн бұрын
Semper Fi. I saw Ov-10's flying in the 80's. It was always fun watching how maneuverable they were.
I had the privilege of serving with VAL-4, the Black Ponies, in 1971-'72. The OV-10 still has a place in my affection. It was the most willing little aircraft.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
My thanks to you for your service, and the highest praise I can ever receive is from individuals such as yourself who were there and served with these incredible machines.
@dogfightdiary5712
Ай бұрын
I salute you, sir. Semper Fi! 👍
@fearless_ambassador_ambo
Ай бұрын
From the son of a HAL-3 Seawolf - thanks for your service. My pop was there at Binh Thuy at roughly the same time.
@AlistairGale
Ай бұрын
@@dogfightdiary5712 don’t you get tired of saluting the military industrial complex?
@pablopeter3564
Ай бұрын
Thanks for your service Sir. Greetings from Mexico City.
Great video, but the comments from vets sharing their personal experiences is pure gold.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you and to me that’s the best indicator that I did an airplane justice in my videos, I am honored by them sharing their experiences here. Thanks for commenting!
The Bronco is not forgotten... Only improperly utilized. Semper Fi 🇺🇸
@doughoward6401
Ай бұрын
Saw one do a zippy run in Vietnam!!! Never forget it !!! Loved it .
@CorePathway
23 күн бұрын
Sure seems like they would have been perfect in A-Stan.
@johnarnold893
23 күн бұрын
@@CorePathway Maybe not since the Afghans had Manpads which the Cong didn't.
@CorePathway
23 күн бұрын
@@johnarnold893 well, it’s a drone world now
@iloveaviation-burgerclub-a8145
16 күн бұрын
Red Bull would have some use for it. Or National STOL Championship...
I was a US Marine platoon commander in Vietnam 1968-1969 and the OV-19 occasionally supported us by controlling airstrikes on enemy positions that were difficult for us to observe from our ground positions. Loved when an OV-10 was overhead.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you for your service, Marine! My father was US Army 66-68, you were there during the thick of it. I am glad the OV-10 helped you and your fellow Marines on the ground and your comment - from someone who was there - is the very best kind of feedback I can get.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you for your service, Marine! My father was US Army 66-68, you were there during the thick of it. I am glad the OV-10 helped you and your fellow Marines on the ground and your comment - from someone who was there - is the very best kind of feedback I can get.
@henriyoung3895
Ай бұрын
WELCOME HOME. SGT DOUG, RECON, 101ST, RVN 68-69 LZ SALLY
I remember this plane very well. My father worked at North American Aviation in Columbus Ohio and was a wing fabricator for the OV-10 and many many other aircrafts. During the Vietnam War, I was in junior high in 1965 when my father first started mentioning him working on this plane. By the time I reached high school in 1968 as a 15 year old, with cousins, uncle and a brother all fighting in "Nam", I had a lot of interests in the machinery and equipment used to fight that war. I felt proud my Dad was helping to contribute to that effort. I joined the Air Force in 1972 and my father continued his efforts in building aircrafts that helped fight that war.
@robkirk6623
Ай бұрын
My father and uncle worked there also. Remember seeing them being built in the high bay area during open house at the plant.
@anthonyhayes1267
24 күн бұрын
Did your dad happen to know a man named John Hayes? He was my grandfather and worked there as well.
@daveclickenger6748
11 күн бұрын
I had 2 uncles retired from there during that time. I worked there in the 80's on b1 Lancer. Machinest
@robkirk6623
10 күн бұрын
@@daveclickenger6748 They more than likely knew my dad. He worked in the tool grinding area. He sharpened the tools or made them for the machines.
While stationed at Ubon Thailand in 1971 I decided to spend my day off at NKP, just to check out the arrivals and departures. Besides the always impressive Caribou, one hotshot OV-10 pilot did a fast downwind, then with wings almost vertical turned base and final over the end of the runway, hit the deck and stopped on a dime. It was the best carrier landing I've ever seen.
I worked on and supervised the maintenance of the OV-10A for 6 years in the U.S.A.F after I transferred from C-130's. Love that plane! easy to work on and always enjoyed wathing the take off and landings. Msgt. USAF retired
I'd love to own one of these for their simplicity. They are truly beautiful.
@slartybarfastb3648
Ай бұрын
Gotta be fun to fly as well.
@MrAjmay1
Ай бұрын
Saw one for sale at Oshkosh 2 years ago.... If I had the kind of "FU money", I would absolutely love one.
@bobwilson758
Ай бұрын
Two buds , traveling in real twin performance ! Wouldn’t that be cool ? Personal urine bottle is necessary - Now , if I can get my AV - Nut brother in-law to fork over his half !
@bobwilson758
Ай бұрын
I would think of-10 had AM receiver also - Very handy to catch the game ! 😊
@bobwilson758
Ай бұрын
They did more than just mark an area with those w/p rockets !
much thanks for making this video! my dad flew OV-10s for the Philippine Air Force before he honorably left the service to fly as a civilian, and I was able to watch them fly in and out of our home air base almost on a daily basis, and even get to enjoy seeing annual live fire demos 🤩🤩 the particular plane that bore his name when it first arrived in the PAF fleet (ex USAF 67-14636) is still flying to this day, and has been wired to employ GBU-49 laser JDAMs... one of the planes in the PAF fleet that he also flew, ex USAF 67-14639, was actually one of the planes that exchange pilots from the RAAF flew during the Vietnam War, and was one of the air assets employed during the infamous BAT21 CSAR mission... after 639 was prematurely retired due to extensive airframe corrosion, the PAF donated the airplane to the Australian War Memorial museum in Canberra, where it was fully restored for display, painted back into the original USAF scheme it wore during the conflict...
My father was a Mustang & served 26 yrs in the Corps (Enlisted at 17 & was a B.A.R. Gunner in Korea & Retired a Maj after two tours in Vietnam w/ 4th Bat/12th Mar/3rd Mar Div '66-'67 & 4th Bat/11th Mar/1st Mar Div '70-71') and I loved and remember in the late 60's & early 70's him taking us often to watch the Bronco's operating at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Orange County, CA. As we lived at US Navy/USMC Pacific Heights Housing Annex, San Pedro, CA., which now is USAF Housing Annex, Pacific Heights.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thanks to him for his service - I hope this video brought back some fond memories for you. If I ever start another channel the B.A.R. and John Browning would definitely be a topic I'd explore in a video. Greetings from Texas!
I have seen the Cal Fire (California's Wild Fire Service) OV-10s acting as aerial spotters and guide planes for the larger water tanker planes which drop water and retardant on wildfires here! Love the OV-10... great second life in the fire-fighting role!
@danmiller7079
Ай бұрын
My wife and I were driving through Hemet, Ca. the other day when we saw a CalFire OV-10 Bronco taking off from Hemet airport. She asked me what kind of plane it was and I said “That’s an OV-10 Bronco, one of the best planes the Corps used during Vietnam”. I was a L/CPL aboard Camp Hansen Okinawa from 3/75 to 4/76 and had OV-10s flying over our training all the time. We even had a couple land on the USS New Orleans (LPH-11) when we were at sea. They were some cowboys for sure. I saw those boys push that plane around like nothin. Uhrahhhh! Semper Fi!
@spikespa5208
29 күн бұрын
Hearing one circling the area around my home with, S-2ATs nearby, is an attention getter in the summer. But sure glad the CAL FIRE air attack bse base is only 5 miles away
@schmittbox7616
26 күн бұрын
When CalFire switched from the O-2 Skymaster to the Bronco, our Air Attack Officers’ biggest complaint was that they would arrive over the fire scene before they had time to get their maps out.
@coser293
19 күн бұрын
@schmittbox7616 My uncle had a civilian skymaster. Haven't seen anybody talk about it besides an O-2 being at the Dayton Air Force Museum in one of the hanging displays. Always gives me joy seeing someone mention it so they're not completely forgotten
@johnwatt9041
7 күн бұрын
Retired Cal Fire aerial supervisor here. The Bronco is the best platform I ever was able to work in. The O2 was the workhorse before we put the OV-10 in service. The tandem seating allowed us to maneuver in both directions as needed where you can't in side by side seating. Totally awesome airplanes. Besides it looks like the Batman alarm in the sky!
My dad was one of those Marines who use to parachute out the back of them. He said the pilot would just pull the nose up and they would all slide right out 😂
COIN is the least of our worries since we've found out that the age of full-scale war is back. That being said, the Bronco was an awesome piece of kit 😁
@sambojinbojin-sam6550
Ай бұрын
I don't know. It wouldn't take much to have shaped radio jammers on it, just crashing UAVs out of the sky. There's better platforms for that, but if push came to shove, the Bronco might ride again in some role.
I just happen to be one of the Navy Aviation Ordnance men (AO) who worked on the OV -10 (I was assigned to VS-41) when the first 2 Broncos were delivered (air frame numbers 155470 and 155472) to the Navy. I don't think that there is an AO who worked on Bronco's that did not enjoy the experience. VAL- 4 went on to be the best known OV-10 squadron, I am proud to have been a small part in their history. The Navy still has an OV-10. 155472 now lives at the Navy Air Museum in Pensacola, Florida. I don't know if this is still true, but 155470 was at one time used for mosquito suppression in, I believe, the coastal area of South Carolina, as it was, minus the M-60's. Very nice video, ;-)
@higgs923
Ай бұрын
Spent some time in VS-41 FRAMP on my way to Vietnam. You folks did a great job. It was fun for me because I finally was able to work on a Stoof.
@robertweldon7909
Ай бұрын
When were you there? I was at VS-41 1/1967 thou 9/1969
@longrider42
Ай бұрын
But them Skeeters down there are pretty big, might want them guns back :)
@robertweldon7909
Ай бұрын
@@longrider42 very funny
@stevengilbert3530
21 күн бұрын
I can confirm that the OV-10 is currently used in South Carolina. A bit unnerving the first time it came over at what seemed like a very low altitude- the county (Beaufort) lets people know when it will be operating.
The OV-10 to me is one of the most interesting aircraft designs ever.
@tomclayton6875
25 күн бұрын
Like they said 'the Swiss Knife of the air'.
We have three Broncos at the museum where I work (including one of the original factory mock-ups), one of which is painted in memory of Captain Steven Bennett, the only Bronco pilot to be a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thanks for commenting, what museum? I'd love to visit and see a real-life OV-10
@FlightSimHistorian
Ай бұрын
Fort Worth Aviation Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
When I was a Camp Pendleton in the early 1990s, it was so cool to see an OV-10 pull up into a climb and see a bunch of Recon Bubba's parachute out the back. Very cool aircraft.
@rojoloco3911
23 күн бұрын
Haha awesome! I was in BCo. 1/1 outta Camp Horno 90-96. As I was watching this video I was thinking Jesus I think I remember seeing a couple of these things dropping a couple guys out the back… No maybe I’m making that up?? Then I saw your comment.Semper Fi.
I worked at US Forces Japan from 1980-1983. In 1982, a flight of two OV-10s was flying in formation from Osan Air Base, Korea to Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan, to participate in the annual Yokota Air Show. As the approached the coast of Jaoan, they ran into thick clouds and the wingman l9st sight of the lead plane. Rather than pull away to ensure separation, the wing pilot got obsessed with switching to instrument flight, allowing his plane to drift too close to the lead plane, his left propeller cutting the right tail.boom of the lead plane. The lead plane came apart, pitching nose down. The pilot hit the ejection seats, but in that odd attitude the parachute for the passenger (a TSgt maintenance crew member being rewarded for outstanding performance) got wrapped around the ejection rocket of his seat and.burned up. It took about 5 minutes for him to fall to earth. The wing plane's engine came apart and the crew ejected. I served as legal advisor to the aircraft accident investigation board comvened by the brigadier general commanding USFJ/ 5th Air Force.
i adore the OV-10, one of my favorite planes of the Vietnam war era
Growing up in Indonesia, I love the OV-10 Bronco. It was one of the first aircrafts I learnt about. Thank you for making this video.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you, very happy that you enjoyed my video.
Great piece. Love the ridiculous versatility of the Bronco. Grew up seeing it at a base near my home. Bien Hoa = “Be-in wha” in the north and “Bean wha” in the south.
@GeorgeRuffner-iy7bm
Ай бұрын
I always remember hearing "Ben- wah". 🙈🙉🙊 😎 🇺🇸
@capt2be
Ай бұрын
@@GeorgeRuffner-iy7bm Agreed. I think that’s the pronunciation our American troops adopted.
I remember this from my PJ RESCUE OF DAYS IN VIETNAM. It was a small but very durable ACFT.. TOOK A LOT OF BALLS TO FLY ONE IN MY OPINION.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you for your comment and for your service, PJ rescue takes a lot of intestinal fortitude as well - cheers!
@scallopohare9431
Ай бұрын
Those pilots were said to be the best of the best. Only a few hundred such craft.
As a military aircraft, I'm afraid that the Bronco's day is done. The Philippines are phasing them out, replacing them with Super Tocanos. They are maxed out in weight, decreasing performance. And there is the unfortunate fact that no aircrew has ever survived ditching one.
@slartybarfastb3648
Ай бұрын
They're also 65 years old.
@txvet7738
Ай бұрын
I would have to disagree, if you modernize a Bronco to today standards, it would be a better performing and economical option over the Tucano in my opinion. Just look at the AH-1, UH-1, and CH-47s, all have been and still are being upgraded and are far superior than when they first came out!
@paulsteaven
Ай бұрын
@@txvet7738the problem is, North American is no longer existing unlike Bell and Boeing to make a new version of OV-10 Bronco. COIN aircrafts were dominated by Embraer's Super Tucano.
@massmike11
Ай бұрын
North American is part of Boeing now.
@markcollins2666
Ай бұрын
@@txvet7738, that depends on who, if anyone, is willing to do it. The Philippine Air Force wasn't. The last ejector seat modification added 1,600 pounds to the airframe, maxing it out. Too much time and effort, to modify, when they could simply buy brand new, and at a sweet price, at that. And that last niggling little "fun fact", was the final straw, that truly hung the millstone around the Bronco's neck, here. And keep in mind that two civil wars are happening here, one against ISIS, the other against Communists. The PAF has no time to wait around.
I have 3000 hrs on this bird and I love it! So versatile and at the same time very forgiving. You forgot to mention it has counter rotatating prop hence no tourqe and can still climb with a single engine. We also used this for cloud seeding operations. I miss this bird and can proudly say I am a bronco jock!
@BlackLizrd
23 күн бұрын
Was there any special procedure in the event of a bailout in order to avoid that vicious looking tail wing/stabilizer thingy?
@blockchainreaction762
4 күн бұрын
No but we have a Zero zero ejection seat meaning you can eject at zero airspeed and zero altitude.
@BlackLizrd
4 күн бұрын
@@blockchainreaction762 Hey, thanks for responding. An ejection seat makes sense for the design of the aircraft. I can imagine if it's in a steep descent and picking up speed when the driver needs to bail, it would be perilous without an ejection seat.
I always wanted a Bronco. I think it'd make a blast of a civil aircraft.
I was a Marine rigger for OV-10’s serving with VMO-6 out of MCAS Futema OK in 74-75. This was a great plane and I was fortunate to fly many test hops on it. It was a joy to fly and a few of my fellow pilots allowed me to have a hand at flying them. Very cool lil bird indeed.
@steveparsons6324
Ай бұрын
We must have served together. I was in VMO 6 from Dec ‘74 to Jan 76. Was Leonard your NCOIC. I still have the infamous VMO 6 Christmas Cards from 74 and 75. Edit: that may have been Bill Leopold. It was a long time ago.
I saw this aircraft flying a lot as a child in Hawai'i. My uncle who was still fighting in Vietnam told me about this wonderful aircraft. 💖
I grew up at Camp Pendleton. I lived seeing these flying all over.
@anthonyglickman6245
Ай бұрын
Used to see these occasionally over our house in SoCal in the mid and late 1980s. Always low enough to see the pilots wave.
@gulfmarine8857
Ай бұрын
I was VMO-2 Marine. Seat shop. It's a great bird.
@williambarnebee40
Ай бұрын
@@gulfmarine8857 my dad was the Flight Surgeon for VMO-2 back in the day.
Never worked on or flew an OV-10, but as a flight sim enthusiast, the OV-10 has always been one of my favorite aircraft. Its striking appearance first attracted me, but the performance of the craft in simulation kept me coming back for more.
Considering I fly on the OV-10A in the course of my duties, I can confidentiality say that it is an aircraft still very much in use. Funky plane with some unique characteristics, but perfect for the ATGS role. You can expect them to keep flying for at least another 20 years; we did just aquire 5 additional D model airframes this year.
I assure you, Victor Charles will never forget the Bronco.
VMO-2 at Camp Pendleton was my first parent squadron in 1983. I was an Avionics Tech stationed at Camp Pendleton. We would watch the OV-10's dropping Marine paratroopers out of the back of the broncos. They would remove the rear hatch and put 5 Paratroopers in the back tunnel. The last guy had his feet and legs hanging out the back. The pilot would fly along level and when it was time to drop the paratroops he would pull up sharply allowing the 5 Marines to slide out the back.
@polaris5250
26 күн бұрын
I was with MALS-39 from 89-93 & 96-98 and deployed with VMO-2 to Oki as they were being decommissioned. When they flew over Area 33 (Magaritta?), we would have to look away so they wouldn't fall out of the sky! 🤣 j/k. They sounded like flying lawnmowers. Also, I seem to remember more D models than A during that time.
@daveweiss5647
14 күн бұрын
That is absolutely insane! Much respect for the bravery!
Back in the 90s, DynCorp was granted a contract to spray the coca fields of Colombia (and possibly other ops) to deny the FARC of their revenue sources. DynCorp decided surplus OV-10s were the platform of choice. They also determined Daytona to be the ideal midpoint for refueling and staging. It was two years of Daytona becoming a defacto base for OV-10 operations. They have a distinct sound of high RPM props with 60s jet screech. Coincidentally, this was also around the period when Daytona was also a primary base for post-Hurricane Andrew relief efforts. Those efforts saw massive use of CH-47 Chinooks flying in and out in long streams of 12 or more. It was a great time to be an aviation freak.
I built the Revell 1/72 scale Bronco when I was a kid. Learned of its service at a young age. Loved the design.👍
The air base, Bien Hoa (bee-en, wah, short “a”) was a major air base in III Corps, near Saigon. It’s where I landed and left Vietnam back in 69-70. Most troops for the south landed there to be shuttled off to Long Binh (long, bin), 90th Replacement for assignments. After assignment, you’re shuttled back to Bien Hoa to fly out to wherever your new unit is based. Mine was Phuoc Vinh (fook, vin), 31st Combat Engineers. They were assigned to support the 1st Cav. Good video.
The Nevada Division of Forestry used it as well. There was a privately owned one based at Carson City Airport i used to see flying around from time to time.
@timbaskett6299
Ай бұрын
There are a few with the NIFC (National Interagency Fire Center) in Boise, ID. In my opinion, this is the best non military use for the Bronco.
@troybullard9631
Ай бұрын
I've seen quite a few OV-10's flying over "hot spots" in California sporting CDF paint jobs.
@richwalter3107
Ай бұрын
Ok. Was a great airplane in its day... So, take a look at the OV 1 MOHAWK.
I was at Camp Pendelton in 1991 and saw it use with Marine recon. It would go vertical slightly and dump out parachutists. Very cool.
Incredible, thank you for bringing this very well done informative piece of flying history. I wasn’t aware of the OV-10. I truly enjoyed watching, I could have taken in a whole lot more info. Again thank you us, the ones that didn’t know about this amazing aircraft.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it, and I am glad you learned about a new airframe - aviation is fascinating and I will work on finding more unusual aircraft to make videos of. Cheers!
Love the Bronco…lived at Camp Pendelton in the early 80’s and there was a squadron of them….always flying over base housing. Awesome little plane.
Being assigned to VMO-4 from 1977-1980 , thanks.
I was Parachute rigger in the Marine Corps from 85 to 89 and parachuted out of a Bronco while with a Marine Force Reconnaissance unit in the late 80’s then had them overhead fighting wildfires in California as private contractor when I finally retired in 2022.
The military should restart production on the OV-10. They could build 14 to 16 Broncos compared to the cost of 1 F-35.
Two Marines, in a desert, thinking about aircraft. 🤣🤣🤣
@remalm3670
25 күн бұрын
... should have been about crayons ... ;-)
My dad was an U.S.M.C. avionics tech around 1970 or so. He worked on the OV-10, AH-1 Cobra and KC-130. He has many fond memories of those aircraft.
Again I learned more Juan. Thanks for another great post. My father worked with Bronco's as FAC and following some mission, would fly post mission assessments with his buddy, an OV-10 driver. Pop loved the Bronco. Bronco, kinda the forefather of the of Warthog, but Bronco didn't take as high dose of steroids, took the seventies to up the dosage. LOL p.s. I work with a fellow that few OV-10s and OA-10s as FAQ n the desert wars.
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you Scott, and I didn't realize your father had time in the OV-10...very cool. I'm going to make an AC-47 video soon
I am Scottish and lived in the Philippines for 10 years and used to see the Bronco at a number of local airports, mainly in the South. They were used extensivley for COIN ops against the Islamic Terrorists in the region. One of my Fav aircraft.
@markarca6360
Ай бұрын
It has been used in airstrikes during the Marawi conflict.
THANKS! I'd never heard about this! Cool concept!
Awesome plane, the video does well to document its development and use. Thanks!
I got to see them, once, in the early 90's. I was awestruck when I saw them.
They need to bring them back. Great video. Thanks for sharing, and have a wonderful day
@PilotPhotog
Ай бұрын
Thank you too and agreed!
Love the Bronco. Just such a cool looking plane, and so capable and versatile. I loved going to the El Toro air show back in the 90's and watching the MAGTF demo. a pair of OV-10's would come in right on the deck, pull straight up, and at about 1,000 feet, 6 troopers would stream out the back while still in the vertical
One of my favorite aircraft! There is something beautiful and Noble about Sky Raiders, Broncos, A-10's, Spooky's, Shadows and Spectres, providing CAS to our troops in contact. Silencing the enemy. How lovely!
« A LONELY KIND OF WAR » written by Marshall harrison. If you want stories about the OV10 Bronco, it’s one of the best read about vietnam and about aviation I have ever had. Very nice video, the 3d views are very interseting. The models looks nice too. Great channel. Thank you.
@deebee2854
Ай бұрын
Add "Flying Black Ponies" by Kit Lavell and "Da Nang Diary" by Tom Yarborough to the list. Agreed, Great video. Well done. This from a person that loves the OV-10, truly my favorite airplane. Although, the closest to flying it has been with a simulator that rhymes with "explain." 😂 Saw plenty of them at work, though: USMC 1980-1990.
@MaSterChOu1
Ай бұрын
@@deebee2854 I’ll look for it, thank you very much.
back in the early 90's (when i was still in elementary school), this airplane is still operated in my hometown Malang, Indonesia by the Indonesian air force. Its often flew on low altitude, and i always watched it in awe. one of the most beautiful airplane that i ever saw.
I would have loved to get my hands on one of these when I was still flying! Thanks a lot I really enjoyed that on memorial Day!
So glad this bird is getting some love. My late stepfather, Lt col Wayne Wood (RET) was a pilot for the OV-10 in Vietnam for one tour. I believe at the time he was either a captain or a major. His call sign was B.Eagle (he was bald. Lol) and he flew with the 20th TASS. Always had plenty of stories from him about his time there. A book was published after he passed away that apparently was able to talk about some declassified missions that were flown into Cambodia and Laos using the OV-10. And apparently he was one of the pilots selected to do these missions. I believe it was operation Rustic if I'm not mistaken. What we also didn't know, and didn't find out until after he passed away in 2019, that he had won the Distinguished Flying Cross during his service there with the OV-10. And he never mentioned it to anyone. But that's the way he was. Godspeed, Wayne. You're sorely missed.
Awesome plane. Great video, thanks for sharing!
That plane is amazing!! As soon as I saw it I thought of the A-10 Thunderbolt/Warthog. The aircraft from the Vietnam War era are some of my favorites, like the little 2 person recon helicopters they had, the light and fast jets, the super sick seaplanes of the time and a bit before (like Korean War era), and various multi-role helo gunships and aircraft. Great video! Thank you!
As a military historian I've known of them since the 60s.Brovos, Birddogs and Sandys did an outstanding job in their time. These days, given the SAM envelope, they just aren't viable.
@ReLax-ru2pk
Ай бұрын
@@jamesjrossI’m sure Mexico could utilize them well against cartels , they already use minion mounts in helicopters
@ReLax-ru2pk
Ай бұрын
Minigun
Thanks for the talk! Cheers.
It's always good to see such a versatile and still capable aircraft, conceived decades ago. Still being of practical use today.
Talk further away from the mic and turn down the gain please
That footage of the plane on the bumpy runway is awesome,it looks like a Trophy Truck through a whoop section,it gets on top of the bumps and smoothes out.very cool.
I like the Bronco and learned a lot from your video; thank you.
I saw other comments about how Recon Marines were parachuted by the OV-10. So here is a funny story. In the last quarter of my dads 20 years in the Corps he transferred to motor transport. He figured it would help develop some skills for the civilian world when he retired. One of his first assignments was with Recon. One Recon Marine told him of his first time "jumping" from a Bronco. When deploying from this bird the pilot would pull straight up and the Marines would just fall out the back. I guess no one told this Marine of the procedure. He was first in the plane so last one out. The pilot opened the back and went vertical. The maneuver startled him so bad he went spread eagle and locked himself before he could fall out. Before he could come to grips with the situation the pilot had leveled out and closed the back. When they got back to base they heard the banging when they shut the plane off and found a very confused Marine still in the back.
When I was stationed on MCAS Miramar in the mid 20teens I remeber seeing 2 OV-10s with NAVY markings parked on the flight line. From what I gathered the NAVY had been playing with them in the observation role again. I was always enamored with the Bronco when I was growing up in the early 90s.
I’ve seen it a few times over my house for firefighting spotters here in California. Was so excited to see just overhead. I was aviation geeking out. :)
Great Video! Thanks!
Ov-10 never gets the credit it deserves. It was a excellent design.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I was assigned to VMO-1 in 1976 through 1981. Such a versatile and valuable A/C. I wish I had one. Gunny USMC (Ret)
we use the OV-10's here in the Philippines as a bomber for COIN ops in Mindanao and other parts of the country with rebel insurgents. I never thought those where such a beauty and also a beast of an aircraft!
I always loved watching my buddy play DCS A10 and it makes sense knowing that it was a FAC-A after having seen the observation capabilities of the spotting pods, sure it was useful for spotting and marking your own targets, but that could easily be used to guide in others as well at a safe stand-off distance, neat!
Beautiful concept and design
Although it loosing relevancy, it been one of my favorite aircraft in history. A beautiful bird. It sets up there with the A10 and so many more.
I was in the USAF from 83 to 87. I was stationed at Sembach AB Germany for most of that time. It was a primary operating base for the OV-10 in the FAC role. A-10s were also assigned to the base. We had a C-5 make an emergency landing. It was too heavy to use the taxiways, so it had to stay on the runway. The OV-10s and A-10s had such short takeoff and landing rolls, they continued operations as normal with a C-5 taking up a third of the runway.
In the final discussion - the Bronco with drones could search to find someone and land to pick up while the drones watch for others attacking. Therefore, it is also capable of Rescues.
One of the first models built and I think it’s an absolute stunning aircraft
I fly with a guy that flew an OV10 in Nam , we fly in an RV6 , he's one of the best sticks , Ive been able to fly with , he's great at flying over treetops , and rolling hills . What a great design .
I love the OV-10, by just looking at it, it reminds me of the IA-58, another of my favorite planes
One of the most underappreciated aircraft ever built. Definitely earned its spurs. One very valid comment in this is "the value of a human in the decision chain. Humans can react to unexpected situations and make decisions on the fly which AI can't.
I loved the P-38 then I saw the OV-10 Bronco. Instant love what a beautiful airplane.
Wow that German Bronco sure did look like something out of world war 2
The' knuckled'' shock absorber performance on the corrugated runway at the 14 min mark was just amazing. What an incredible aircraft.
I was always fascinated by the Bronco. Small, agile, armed, it just sounds like a down and dirty wild ride!
Enjoyed the video. Thanks for getting me updated on this aircraft. 🙈🙉🙊 😎 🇺🇸
The Air Force had these in Korea in the 70s. They were all mounted with quad 60s. Awesome aircraft and my favorite to watch during exercises.
Worked with Broncos in the late 1980s as a Naval Aircrewman - even got some flight time while going through Naval Gunfire Spotting School - and later flew in the SH-60B Seahawk during Desert Shield/Storm in coordination with the Bronco. These days - the Bronco still flies with California's Department of Forestry as a CALFIRE spotter aircraft - coordinating tanker-drop aircraft and providing aerial supervision of all wild-fires -
Being able to land inside the length of a football field PLUS do all the utilitarian cool stuff makes this plane an incredible asset......
...............Thank you; Very interesting. Cheers and God bless, Malcolm.
The O-2 Skymaster and OV-10 are my two favourite underdog planes of the Vietnam era, the jet boys got all the kudos - but without planes like this they wouldn't know what they were going to shoot at on their next missions
Among my earliest memories are the sight and sound of these things flying over my house.
I loved the Bronco and used to build models of it as a kid. Later as a Marine I used to watch them drop Recon Marines out the back while training for insertions. Very cool aircraft. I think we may see them or a variant once again as our tactics change in the future.
Thank you for sharing this amazing and enjoyable film about the OV-10 Bronco designed by the Marines and built for COIN Ops. I liked it a lot. PEACE. --- Merci d'avoir partagé ce film étonnant et agréable sur l'OV-10 Bronco conçu par les Marines et construit pour COIN Ops. Je l'ai beaucoup aimé. PAIX.
Thanks for this. I remember building a 1/48 scale model of this craft while in high school in the 70's, don't recall if it was a Revell or Tamiya. I became interested in twin boom designs since my uncle was a P-38 pilot in the European Theater in WW2. I think CalFire still has a few of these, remember seeing one painted white & red a few years back over Oroville.
I tnink a highly modernized new-build version with a stronger composite structure and new engines could be a very effective counter-insurgency plane.
@CraigCholar
Ай бұрын
MANPADS would still be a deadly threat.
@GeorgeRuffner-iy7bm
Ай бұрын
I was going to bring up MANPADS but you have it covered. Thanks. 🙈🙉🙊 😎 🇺🇸