Ov-10s

[RickH]

1, it just started making public appearances.

[Swiss Mustangs]

yup

one in France - ex German AF (target-tug)

http://francewarbirds.free.fr/bronco.html

Martin

[wendovertom]

Rob,

There is one coming to Wendover for our show in August. It belongs to Specline bearings and flys out of the Reno area. If you search on the fencecheck.com site you can see pictures of the ship from its apperance last year at Aviation Nation.

Tom P.

[mennie]

I remember seeing them on airliners.net.

USA one? - N338RC / 58301 (cn 338-10)
airliners.net
Looks awesome!

German one? - G-BZGK / 99+32 (cn 338-17)
airliners.net

[O.P.]

Okay then,

Are there any in AMARC that are availbe for purchase.

RER

I would think that you would have to get them from overseas, or from the forest service.

I've always loved that plane, but a good friend of mine gave me a few pointers on it. 1. You have to have the ejection seats, there is no other way out. (Sounds dumb I know, but now I be learnified). 2. Stupifiyingly expensive to maintain and operate due to the engines/props/ect.

It kinda killed my fervor to find and fly one. I still want one, but it fell way down on the list. I should be able to get around to it before my 293rd birthday.

Static though- anything goes.....

[RickH]

Rob, OV-10s can't be bought from AMARC. They fall under the same rules as anything else tactical and turbine.

The ejection seats are definitely the only way out. The props are too close to the cockpits to bail out manually. Essentially there's no where to go.

Thailand has sold theirs to the Phillipines, the German tugs have been sold to civilians or European museums, Venezuela isn't selling theirs, Columbia is upgrading theirs, no one seems to know where the 5 Morrocan birds are.

5 OV-10Ds are still at AMARC but the State Dept. has them locked up for the spraying program in S. America.

The As are locked up by CDF through the Forestry Service and all that were being reworked for CA are completed. The remainder, including the BLM airframes, have been used for spares.

O.P., maintenance an issue ? Only on the Ds. They have a carbon fiber prop that is no longer produced and are in short supply. That is why Columbia is upgrading to a four bladed prop. The Ds also have a cockpit management system that is 3 black boxes that are no longer supported. If you lose them you can't even turn on the radios. The Marines took a very simple aircraft and ultimately made it as complicated as possible.

The A models are basic airplanes. The engines are 750 shp Garrets. Essentially the same engines that are on the MU-2s but turned upside down to minimize crud ingestion. The props are Hartzell, I believe. Everything else is basic systems and airframe.

Compared to the F-4, the OV-10 is simple. It can be worked on with a hammer, screwdriver, and a crescent wrench. The troops in the field didn't worry about mud buildup until it becam an aerodynamic issue.

[pbeegle1]

There is a flying example sitting in the Dixie Wing hanger and it is for sale.

Philip

[Glenn Wegman]

Col. Beegle,

That's an OV-1 !!

Glenn

[Tulio]

FYI, Kernel:

Dated December 2002:



"We have acquired seven OV-10 airframes. Three are former US Air Force A models that where damaged at Homestead AFB during hurricane Andrew.
The other four were shipped in from Venezuela. Two are OV-10 E's that were sold new to the Venezuelan Air force and two were former US Air Force A models.

Three of the four Venezuelan broncos received battle damage
during the 1992 Coup D'Etat attempt that was led by their current
President, Hugo Chavez. We have been acquiring Bronco parts for six
years and finally have all of the necessary components to put together
the only flyable non government owned Bronco in the US."

"We also have a very good second project package that will include one
good, nearly complete, OV-10A fuselage that was damaged in hurricane
Andrew and one Venezuelan fuselage, with chain of title & data plate,
that was damaged in Coup D'Etat.

This project will also included two wing assemblies (one with minor damage and a second wing for parts), a complete set of flight controls, a complete set of landing gear, and a pair of damaged (but repairable) tail booms."


"Look for more information on our second project including pictures
soon! "

"Interested principles (sic) only please contact Norman Earle (904) 692-5951"


This is all I have on the subject.

Saludos,


Tulio

[RickH]

Tulio, your right Norm does have 1 intact, but it is a long way from flyable.

Not sure about the condition of the rest of his stuff but notice that the add is dated 2002.

[Obergrafeter]

What happened to the post a couple of weeks back that the goverment was going to recall the OV-10s?

[oscardeuce]

The OV-10 Bronco Association/FAC museum have one. I believe they have permission to restore and fly the aircraft if funds are obtained.
www.fac-assoc.org

www.ov-10bronco.net

If you can spare some $$. Please send this is a good cause.

[Chuck Gardner]

There are two in Kissimmee, FL and one is about ready to fly.

[dj51d]

I don't understand the big diff. witht he Ov-10 wouldn't the Ov-1s also fall under the same problems and there are plenty of them flying.

As I understand it, the difference is because the Mohawks are Army aircraft. The USAF complained that the Army shouldn't have armed fixed wing aircraft, so officially the OV-1 can't carry weapons.

[Chris]

Marsh Aviation in Mesa Az has pulled many out of AMARC and has a contract with the Colombian government to rebuild them to full combat status complete with armament. These are to be used as drug interdiction aircraft. Several of the airframes are still outside at Falcon Field while others are nearing completion inside their hangar. About once a month they finish one up and do extensive flight testing in and around the area. Pretty cool to hear those tubines spooling up as they do a high speed pass.