OV-10/FAC/VMAP News: "Cleared Hot!" Published

[Merlin_FAC]

Hi All!

Won't waste a lot of space here, but the Spring 2009 edition of Cleared Hot! has just been released, with all the latest news from the OV-10 Bronco Association, FAC Museum, and the Fort Worth Veteran's Memorial Air Park.

Among this edition's highlights: The OBA's 11th Birthday, Bronco Fest VII & Cowtown Warbird Roundup 2009 Reports/Photos, OBA/FACM/VMAP Moves, Fort Worth Aviation Museum update, Bronco Fest VII Award Recipients, Jami "Hollywood" Clayman's OV-10 documentary "One Tough Ride: The Story of the OV-10 Bronco" released, Bronco ejections, a flurry of European Bronco activity, the Return of the Yankee Air Pirates, and an update on Boeing's rumblings concerning new OV-10 production.

Anyway, check it out: http://www.OV-10Bronco.net/

[Fouga23]

Do you have any pictures of the finished OV-10 mockup? The website is very out of date in some places and I would like to see the final result

[Airlift48]

Cleared Hot is also the name of a book by Col. Bob Stoffey a Huey pilot turned OV-10 Pilot with VMO-2 in Vietnam. A great book, I have read it several times.

Highly recommened it, especially if you're and OV-10 fan.

[Merlin_FAC]

Well, there is actually a new version of the website in the wings designed to fix the problems of the current site and bring it up out of the gutter... but, as it's a spare-time thing for me, and it's a HUGE job to make the transition and revise/add all the data, well... who knows exactly when it'll actually happen. Could be soon but no promises. BTW, if anyone is really interested in helping out, I'd be happy to provide the URL to the new test site in return for useful opinions, ideas, and constructive critiques... PM me if interested.

ANYHOO... I found some pics of the mockup I took at the big unveiling ceremony we had during BroncoFest V in 2005. The location is the OBA's original home, inside the Vintage Flying Museum (we've moved into new digs during the past month, about a half-mile south of there). I believe the mockup has actually had the rest of the bits and pieces finished up since then.

Here are the pics:


I need to fix this one to be a "Before, After, and After THAT" shot. This is how it was when we found the Mockup and bought it after it was sitting outdoors for many years.



The tail of the mockup. It's covered up for the big "unveiling" ceremony to come.



The front of the mockup's fuselage. Obviously, the front tire has yet to be restored.



Here you can see the original Bronco's VERY short wingspan (30 feet, lengthened to 40 feet for production versions) and the different air intakes, among other differences.



Surprisingly, the mockup's wheels were actually made of wood!



The main gear wheel well.



A couple of NAA guys who were intimately involved with the Bronco's design phase... Rube Best (left) and Warren McGowan (right). They both got a huge kick out of seeing the mockup come back to life after 40 years!



The nose area.



The restored cockpit.



Another view of the cockpit while it was in the old Bronco Ready Room, circa Nov. 2003.



The cockpit in Dec. 2000... this is how it was when we got the mockup.

[Simcoe Warrior]

I need to fix this one to be a "Before, After, and After THAT" shot. This is how it was when we found the Mockup and bought it after it was sitting outdoors for many years.

Love the Bronco, tres cool A/C. What a great piece of history to have the factory mock-up, the wooden tires are great!

[Fouga23]

Thanks for the update! The mockup looks great!