Posted on 03/09/2016 8:45:21 AM PST by C19fan
The U.S. military is testing out a dependable, rugged little vintage bomber as it battles elusive ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq. War was just an experiment for two of the U.S. military’s oldest and most unusual warplanes. A pair of OV-10 Broncos—small, Vietnam War-vintage, propeller-driven attack planes—recently spent three months flying top cover for ground troops battling ISIS militants in the Middle East. The OV-10s’ deployment is one of the latest examples of a remarkable phenomenon. The United States—and, to a lesser extent, Russia—has seized the opportunity afforded it by the aerial free-for-all over Iraq and Syria and other war zones to conduct live combat trials with new and upgraded warplanes, testing out the aircraft in potentially deadly conditions before committing to expensive manufacturing programs.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Not a good ground attack plane. It was liquid-cooled, and many a pilot was lost when the engine seized from the damage loss of coolant and the pilot had no altitude to [successfully] egress.
Nail-18 here
Thanks for the info—but damn those planes looked so cool.
Any thoughts on the A-10 vs. some slower prop plane like the OV-10?
Wow, the Bronco sure doesn’t need much of a runway, does it? Pretty sure I’ve seen driveways long enough for that plane to use!
Different capability, different mission. The Warthog has an enormous payload ... 16,000lb plus the BFG. More expensive, but you get what you pay for. The OV-10 Bronco was built for a lightly armed FAC mission. For low-level counterinsurgency, lots of Broncos would be preferable to fewer 'Hogs. In a big war, the Bronco needs to do its FAC mission and the 'Hogs and fast movers need to deliver the weapons.
IMO. YMMV. IANAG.
Before the inevitable (for a FReeper) TBA, I had four revolvers and 2 semi-autos. The revolver design dates back to about 1835, but a wheel gun still does certain jobs better than a semi-auto. Looks like the same thing for some aircraft.
OV-10s are great for inserting small teams.
4 guys can fit in the back; just open the rear hatch, climb vertical - and they slip right out...
Years and years back there was a great article by a Marine (O6 I think) in USNI Proceedings making the case that the ideal escort for the V-22 Osprey was an F7F Tigercat upgraded with modern avionics/weapons and turboprops.
Had a friend shot down in an OV-10 in VietNam.
“Because the OV-10 is one of the best light attack and close air support aircraft ever built.”
Because it was one of the only times the close air support community actually got a real say in how a plane should be designed.
I agree with both of you in one way or another. I always thought of the Bronco as a FAC plane and it performed well at those tasks.
Changing it to a close air support plane with bombing capability seems kinda like modifying a bicycle to a MG platform. It can be done, I suppose, but is it the best option for that task??
The OV-10's STOL capability was demonstrated when it landed and took off from one of the Navy's carriers without catapults or arresting gear. Simply put, the OV-10 and the A-10 Warthog are the two best CAS aircraft ever built. We need more of them in updated versions, but they can do the jobs the Mach 2 fighter mafia cannot do or would rather not do; that is, the CAS mission.
Black Pony fire teams of two aircraft often flew when other aircraft were grounded. Kit Lavell recounts one of these lonely night patrols when an isolated outpost called on the radio to see if the Black Ponies were on station and available. The answer was yes and yes. That was comforting to the guys manning that outpost because they knew if the NVA/VC attacked them, the Black Ponies would be there supporting their fight.
Excellent link, thank you!
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