OV-1 Mohawk

[WAYNO]

My buddy from my youth, an airline pilot, was also an Army pilot. He was blessed to have only flown fixed wing in the Army, specifically an OV-1 Mohawk.

I was at an air museum recently. This Mohawk was in the back parking lot. I snapped a photo and immediately sent it to my buddy.

Long story short... He recognized the tail number, and he flew this exact bird!

 

[soflaac]

Thats pretty darn cool.

When I was stationed in Homestead AFB, our squadron was right next to the Customs guys. They had a couple OV-10, obviously much different (smaller) aircraft. Closest I've ever been to an OV-1.

 

[WAYNO]

OV-10's were way cool too. They've been in mothballs for decades, but recently some were re-released for a mission that the OV-10's were best suited.

 

[Fox Mike]

A great friend, Joe Kennedy (now deceased) was a OV-1 driver. Nicknamed "magnet ass" as he seemed to always draw fire. When he retired his wife found the very one he had flown was now with a private concern. They sent photos and a model to him

 

[contender]

We used to have several of the OV-1's adjacent to our Huey's at Ft. Hood. I always wanted to fly in one. Never could wrangle a ride. Good flying birds for sure.

 

[Pathfinder36]

As G-2 Air of the 3rd ID in Wurzburg, Germany I had staff responsibility for an OV-1 Platoon of the 3rd Avn Bn in 1964-65. At that time our job was aerial surveillance of the East German - Chekhovian borders using visual, photographic, side-looking radar & Inferred photography in cooperation with the USAF (RF-4). An interesting period in the Cold War.

 

[Hankus]

I did multiple tours with B Co, 3rd MI BN, Camp Humphreys, Korea. We flew RC12s, (not me, I stayed on the ground, usually). A Co had the Mohawks. I was there in 1996 when they made their last flights.

 

[Dave Schwaab]

OV-10's were way cool too. They've been in mothballs for decades, but recently some were re-released for a mission that the OV-10's were best suited.

View attachment 23764

My brother was a Navy fighter pilot. He had a chance to fly a lot of different aircraft when he was stationed at Pax River. He told me about getting checked out on the OV-10, and how hard it was for him to get used to putting the bird down hard enough trigger the reverse feathering feature on the props so that they would go into reverse pitch for the added braking capability needed for short field landings! The Bronco was the only prop aircraft he ever flew after his initial training in a T-28.

 

[Gopher]

My buddy from my youth, an airline pilot, was also an Army pilot. He was blessed to have only flown fixed wing in the Army, specifically an OV-1 Mohawk.

I was at an air museum recently. This Mohawk was in the back parking lot. I snapped a photo and immediately sent it to my buddy.

Long story short... He recognized the tail number, and he flew this exact bird!

View attachment 23759

Where was that taken? One of the Dallas area warbird groups has one in flying condition.

 

[WAYNO]

That was the museum in McMinnville Oregon. Same place the Spruce Goose resides.

 

[Sam Summey]

Thats pretty darn cool.

When I was stationed in Homestead AFB, our squadron was right next to the Customs guys. They had a couple OV-10, obviously much different (smaller) aircraft. Closest I've ever been to an OV-1.

IN 1972 when I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca AZ, I serviced US Customs OV-1s that had been borrowed from the US Army. They were used to surveil the border at night in order to interdict South Americans invading our country. My MOS concerned the repair of the auto pilots in the OV-1.

 

[soflaac]

IN 1972 when I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca AZ, I serviced US Customs OV-1s that had been borrowed from the US Army. They were used to surveil the border at night in order to interdict South Americans invading our country. My MOS concerned the repair of the auto pilots in the OV-1.

I'm pretty sure the OV-10s were being used for surveillance off the southern coast - drug smugglers in fast boats and the like. This was before Hurricane Andrew wiped out the place.

We were a tenant unit, thats likely how we ended up on the exterior of the base near Customs since they were on the extreme end of the flight line. (Probably for their Hueys to take-off & land whenever without interfering with the fighter squadrons).

 

[bobski]

i jumped out of ov10's. 4 max. we would spot out the open back, when we wanted out over our e-p, we'd bang on the bulkhead and the pilot would nose it up and we'd fall out.
weeeeee.......

 

[Hankus]

i jumped out of ov10's. 4 max. we would spot out the open back, when we wanted out over our e-p, we'd bang on the bulkhead and the pilot would nose it up and we'd fall out.
weeeeee.......

That must have been a tight fit; a four man team and all their gear!!

 

[BearBiologist]

That was the museum in McMinnville Oregon. Same place the Spruce Goose resides.

Grew up in Long Beach, CA. Saw the "Goose" a couple of times from the street outside!

 

[kmoore]

Another, cool information! Just shows how small this big world can be.

 

[Jeepnik]

Never made sense. Long Beach sold the Goose, a piece of American aviation history but kept the rusting and now settling Queen Mary, a British historical ship.

 

[bobski]

we'd sit with our legs around the guy in front of us. we went out as one big blob.