Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Light armed reconnaissance aircraft

Power Plant:

Two 533 kw (715 shp) Garrett AiResearch T76-G-10 [port] T76-G-12 [starboard] turboprops

Specifications:

Armament:

Four 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M60C machine guns mounted in sponsons; variety of external stores and armament carried on sponsons; provision in USMC aircraft to mount AIM-9D Sidewinder missile under each wing. Total external load carrying capacity 2,086 kg (4,600 lb).

History:

In 1963 a specification was evolved by the US Navy for a Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft with mission profiles to cover armed reconnaissance, close air support, helicopter escort, personnel and cargo transportation, photographic and target reconnaissance, and forward air control.  North American submitted the NA-300 and it won the contest on 15 August 1964, seven prototypes being ordered as the YOV-10A, the first flying on 15 August 1964, the seventh aircraft being delivered on 7 October 1966, this differing from the others in having Pratt & Whitney YT-74 engines. First production machine was rolled out on 30 June 1967 and orders were placed for 109 for the USAF and 114 for the US Marine Corps. The models for the two services were virtually identical, the USAF utilizing its aircraft in the forward air control role, and the Marines in the armed reconnaissance role.

On 23 February 1968 the first OV-10A was delivered to the USAF at the North American Columbus Division plant and then proceeded to Hurlburt Field, Eglin Air force Base, Florida where the 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing, established as a Forward Air Control unit, commenced operations with the type.  At about the same time the first Bronco for the US Marines was delivered to MVO-5.

The Bronco has a constant-chord, shoulder-mounted wing, high vertical tail surfaces and a high-set tailplane, the pilot and observer being positioned well forward of the engines and wings. Both cockpits were fitted with LW-3B ejection seats. The wings combined double-slotted flaps and a ‘washed wing’ gave the aircraft good STOL performance.  The propellers were opposite rotating.  It was able to land with a ground roll of 183 m (600 ft).  Its turning performance was such that it could remain close to the target for visual observation purposes.

By 1968 the Bronco was in service in Vietnam, the first six aircraft being delivered to Bien Hoa by Douglas C-133 on 31 July to the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron for combat evaluation. It was used by all three of the US services, experience showing it was a rugged, simple aircraft able to absorb small arms fire and required low maintenance man-hours to flight hours. Within a year in Vietnam the Broncos had completed 100,000 combat flight hours.

Orders for Germany and Thailand were received, these being delivered into 1971. As time went by the Bronco was used in the counter insurgency role. Further orders were placed with a further 157 for the USAF and 114 for the Marines, production for the US services ending in April 1969.

Of the 18 supplied to Germany, six were OV-10Bs and the remainder OV-10B(Z), this model differing in having a General Electric J85 engine mounted above the fuselage to increase performance.  The first OV-10B flew on 3 April 1970.  In 1971 North American converted two USMC OV-10As to YOV-10D configuration as Night Observation / Gunship Systems, these having forward-looking infra-red sensors in the nose and a General Electric XM-197 three-barrel 20 mm cannon in a ventral turret, first flight being made on 9 June 1970.

Following the conclusion of the Vietnam War the Americans were looking for countries to take some of the aircraft it had available, and 24 OV-10 Broncos were refurbished in the US and supplied to the Philippines Air Force under the American Foreign Aid Programme. These were attached to the PAF 15th Strike Wing which was based at Sangley Point in Cavite, near Manilla, the aircraft operating with Nos 16 and 25 Attack Squadrons. As the years went by it was getting more and more difficult to keep them airworthy and in service so they were eventually retired.  Later the Thai government donated eight OV-10Cs to the Philippines, the first four arriving in September 2003, with a further four in May 2004.

In the 1970s during the Vietnam War Australian pilots served with American units flying the Cessna O-1 Birdog, Cessna O-2 and the OV-10 Bronco.  None were attached to Australian units, nor did any come to Australia at that time.  It seems that the Australian Chief of the Air Force, Air Marshall Geoffrey Shepherd AM, flew the type in Vietnam on attachment to a US unit and, whilst visiting the Philippines, saw serial 67-4639, one of the aircraft he had flown in the Vietnam conflict. The aircraft at that stage was declared unserviceable and beyond economical repair.

Representations led to the machine being gifted to the Australian War Memorial and arrangements made for HMAS Tobruk, when available, to visit the Philippines and take the machine on board for carriage to Australia. The aircraft arrived in Canberra, ACT in mid-2007 for restoration and placement on display.  The OV-10 was also operated in the close air-support role with the Indonesian Air Force and that organization was looking at a replacement for the type in service in early 2008.