OV-10 Broncos were used in the Vietnam War and have been brought out of retirement to help US forces in Iraq
Posted on 03/10/2016 12:11:46 PM PST by Kartographer
Two vintage planes used in Vietnam were brought out of retirement to help US special forces in Iraq.
A pair of OV-10 Broncos completed 120 combat missions over the Middle East between May and September last year, it has been revealed.
They are believed to have been used for 82 days as cover for troops who were on the ground fighting ISIS militants.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
next, we will be using “ some guy” with a wrench to defend our troops
Already posted
As I said half-seriously yesterday - bring back the Douglas Skyraider (if there are any left out there!)
ISIS is the viet cong, without jungle cover. What better, cheaper, more durable system to bring max firepower down on them?
BTW, these OV-10 Broncos are ideal for this mission.
For the size of that community, that is a lot.
Anthony Herbert once wrote that he considered one OV-10 or Skyraider worth a whole squadron of jets when it came to CAS.
The Bronco & Skyraider would kick ass against ISIS, esp with some upgraded weapons packages.
Your biggest problem with the A-1 Sky raider would be the R-3350 radial engines. Other than a few air racers I doubt you’d find any parts.
This is why they are pushing the Embraer Super-Toccano and it’s turbo-prop engine.
This is embarrassing. Why aren’t our Military using the Warthog A-10 for these missions?
“What better, cheaper, more durable system to bring max firepower down on them?”
You were speaking of the Skyraider. It’s a fact that since the A-6 was introduced every change has made the carrier ground attack package have shorter legs, and less weight on target. Losing the A-6 and A-7 and A-4 and going only to F-18 was a loss in strike range and weight.
Losing the F-14D was another blow. The Super Hornet is less than the original.
And now we are going to go to the F-35. The shortest ranged, less weapon carrying attack plane we’ve had since the 1950s.
You aren’t entirely off base.
Here’s a link to the present inventory at Davis Monahan Boneyard in AZ, with serial numbers:
A radial engine is not a difficult thing to manufacture. Of course, it might have a tough time passing EPA regs, so would be rejected.
OK, but that radial engine sound can really inspire that last minute freeze in the open and crap-in-your-pants moment when they know they're going to die.
Good point.
Maybe because they “retired” it already. /sarc
And they’d look like fools for proving that it is still useful.
It would be EPA exempt if used for military applications.
According to WiKi, the Bronco can be used from improvised airstrips and aircraft carriers (Navy or Marine)
Lots of flexibility.
Besides, the Air Farce is desperate to kill the A-10. Any successful CAS mission is another proof that there are no Red Barons to fight. All the top staff are fighter jocks, and drones, air superiority and smart bombs are all you need to win a counter-insurgency fight.
The Air Force mission has always been about self justification.
Here's one carrying a few little things
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