The Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was a forward air control aircraft, which was designed and manufactured during the Cold War for the US Air Force and Navy. It was also used as a light ground-attack aircraft in counter-insurgency operations. It saw combat action during the Vietnam War, in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and in Iraq and Syria flying ground-attack sorties. All in all, the OV-10 was a maneuverable and reliable combat plane, which performed satisfactorily both in observation and combat missions. Forward air control is a demanding mission, in which pilots must call in strikes while they are exposed to gun fire.
The prototype of the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco first flew on July 16, 1965. It would be introduced into service with the US Air Force on October 20, 1969, and with the US Navy in early 1970. A total of 360 OV-10 aircraft would be produced in four main versions; OV-10A, OV-10B, OV-10C, and OV-10D, with the last variant being built for the US Marine Corps and used as a night observation plane. The OV-10B was employed by the German Air Force. Thailand and Colombia also bought this aircraft. After several decades of soldiering, seeing combat action from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, the Bronco is no longer seeing in military service, except perhaps in Latin America. Up until ten years ago, you could still see it in Montana working for the US Forest Service, or in Virginia, flying law enforcement missions.
Technical Description
The Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane, with an all-metal, twin-boom fuselage. It was fitted with straight, shoulder-wing. The tailplane was a fixed incident unit, with an inset elevator, which provided excellent control at low speeds. The broad straight wing also gave the aircraft great low speed handling and short take-off capability. The cockpit was spacious, with a bulged canopy, which provided the pilot with excellent view. The Bronco was powered by two Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines, each of which delivering 715 horsepower.
Specifications
Type: forward air control/observation and ground-attack aircraft.
Length: 13.41 m (42 feet)
Wing Span: 12.67 m (40 feet)
Wing Area: 27 m2 (291 square feet)
Height: 4.62 m (15 feet)
Power Plant: two 715-HP, Garret T76-G-420 turboprop engines.
Maximum Speed: 452 km/h (280 mph)
Range: 2,300 km (1,426 miles)
Service Ceiling: 7,315 m (24,000 feet)
Crew: two
Armament: one 20-mm, three-barrel M197 cannon. Rocket pods for 127-mm rockets.
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| A US Navy's OV-10 in flight. |
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| A US Air Force's Bronco flying over Vietnam. |
The Rockwell OV-10 observation and attack aircraft in action (video)
