Grumman OV-1 Mohawk

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was an American reconnaissance and liaison aircraft used by the US Army during the Vietnam War. However, in this armed conflict, this reliable airplane flew also ground-attack missions as it had underwing pylons to carry rockets and bombs. Although it was relatively slow, it was a light and very maneuverable aircraft. It was the first turboprop-powered airplane to enter the US Army inventory.

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk had been designed in 1957 in answer to an US Army's requirement, which called for an aircraft that was capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) from rough airfields. This new plane also had to be able to carry observation equipment of different characteristics. The prototype, the YOV-1A, made its maiden flight on April 14, 1959, and it was introduced into US Army service in October 1959 as the OV-1A. The original company designation of this aircraft was G-134.

Below, the YOV-1A prototype in flight during tests.

Technical Characteristics

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane. It was fitted with straight, cantilever mid-wing, with full-span leading-edge slats and large trailing-edge flaps. The tailplane assembly was composed of a swept-back horizontal stabilizer, with a 25 degrees sweepback, and triple fin, with three rudders.

The Mohawk had an all-metal fuselage, which was equipped with two airbrakes, one on each side of tail fuselage. The cockpit was large and comfortable, with the pilot and observer seated side by side. The OV-1A variant was fitted with cameras for photo reconnaissance, while the OV-1B version was equipped for radar reconnaissance, using a sideways-looking airborne radar. The OV-1C had a camera and infrared sensors, while the OV-1D combined the equipment of all the earlier versions.

Specifications (OV-1D)

Type: two-seat reconnaissance and liaison aircraft

Length: 12.50 m (41 feet)

Wing Span: 14.63 m (48 feet)

Wing Area: 33.45 m2 (360 square feet)

Height: 3.86 m (12 feet, 8 inches)

Power Plant: two Textron Lycoming T53-L-15 turboprop engines, each one delivering 1,100 horsepower.

Maximum Speed: 507 km/h (315 mph)

Range: 1,642 km (1,020 miles)

Rate of Climb: 716 m/min (2,350 feet per minute)

Armament: rockets; bombs

Crew: 2

Below, the US Army Mohawk flying over California.

The OV-1C in flight over the West Coast.

Below, the OV-1B on a military base in Vietnam in 1966. The pod under the fuselage houses a side-looking radar.