138 - OV-10 Bronco

Being labeled a "jack of all trades" is oftentimes derisively applied to people or things with the inevitable follow up, "master of none." But every once in awhile an exception comes along-an unassuming platform devised for a myriad of missions that it performs so well it remains relevant over six decades later.
On this episode, retired U.S. Air Force Major Carter Clark discusses the OV-10 Bronco's role during the Vietnam War and retired U.S. Navy Commander Phil "Convoy" Clay follows up with how updated Broncos continued serving in the recent war on ISIS as part of the modern light attack armed overwatch program. The Bronco was-and still is-a real work horse.
Listener questions addressed on this episode include whether a boom has ever broken off during in-flight refueling and why the U.S. Air Force is beginning to retire the F-22 Raptor.
Episode artwork adapted by Janek Krause. Bumper music by Jaime Lopez / announcements by Clint Bell.

[@quadri31]

Greetings from the Philippines! These bad boys are still being used in my country for COIN albeit in a modified form

[@JTACRIFLE]

Thanks so much for this podcast! I could not believe in 2015 I was supported by AC-130W and an OV-10!!! One night some fool thought it was a good idea to pray and spray 12.5mm Dskh at the OV-10. A moment later and a IR sparkle on target the APKWS moved a whole lot of dirt. Great pod cast sir. Keep'em coming and thanks for doing what you do.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Right back at ya, sounds like!

[@tb8517]

I know a pilot who was an ace in his Bronco, with many confirmed kills again pirates. Not bad for a delivery bear named Baloo.

[@Mark_Ocain]

And the hits just keep on comin'!!! The OV-10 is a legend..I'm listening with a few brews now. Thanks, Vince and Carter for what promises to be a most excellent episode!

[@FlyingDutchmanPodcast]

I hope they do a drunk history episode

[@dougstitt1652]

Good stuff thank you both for your time.

[@therocinante3443]

How funny, I was just listening to your episode about the Blue Angels and I got this notification. Thanks for everything, much love!

[@SasquatchMountainProject]

Great interview. I saw Recon Marines get "dumped" out of the back of OV-10s many times. It was part of the MAGTF demo at the MCAS El Toro airshow every year. What a great Swiss Army Knife of an airplane!

[@robertdownie6135]

Jell-O is the man! I asked for the OV-10 months ago and here we are! One of my favourite planes of all time, a real neat little fighter. Just looks cool. Can't believe the 6G rating! Great show yet again. Thanks guys! Marines also flew them off their flat top assault ships, STOL so good didn't need a catapult.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Just for you, Robert. 😎

[@robertdownie6135]

@@FighterPilotPodcast thanks dude you're a loyal wingman! 🙏👍👏😀

[@stevebaker4303]

Great to see you all again! Love to you and yours.

[@ThePrybra07]

So pumped to listen to this on my drive home this afternoon. You guys are awesome keep it up

[@BR-qy5ml]

I recall seeing an OV-10 drop paratroopers at a Blue Angels air show at Dobbins AFB in Marietta, GA in the mid-1970's. It was just as you described in this interview.

[@D0cJekyll]

So glad you finally got this one done!

[@maxjpind]

If you ever get a chance to visit “Fort Worth Aviation Museum” in Texas you should definitely do it. The group of volunteers that own and operate that place are super passionate about the Bronco and her crews (not to mention all their birds on display are TOUCHABLE). Can’t recommend that place enough.

[@jakeb7087]

As a volunteer since birth practically, thanks for this! And I agree!!

[@DD-xx8wh]

day or night in any tough situation always glad to have a Black Pony put a Zuni right where it was needed!!

[@D5Pasadena]

10 hop WWII Ocean Crossing air route! Wow! Great guest and co-host. Really rounded up the episode well with current capabilities, wish we could have heard a bit about the laser guided rockets, but enjoyed it all. “NASA. Those guys are all about going to the moon and drinking Tang.” 😂

[@NathanMN]

There was a privately owned OV-10 at EAA Oshkosh last summer (2021).

[@briantindle7115]

If I may make a recommendation, if you truly love the OV10, get ahold of Jim "Grump" Hodgson of the OV10 Bronco Association (OBA)* *The current president of the OBA, Angela, her father was a Bronco driver in Vietnam who was posthumously awarded the MoH. Stephen L Bennett

[@jakeb7087]

Steven* sorry he’s my grandfather

[@OlJarhead]

Great aircraft. I was a Marine OV-10 mechanic in the early 80’s at Marietta, Ga.. We also had AH1J Cobras.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

👍

[@antr7493]

OV-10 Bronco was in "James Bond: The Living Daylights 1987" . 😁Another great episode. I know there is a Cessna O-2 Skymaster episode coming sooner or later 😉

[@Kaledrums]

Pops was a Crew Chief with the 27th TASS down at George AFB. We use to call the Bronco the Weed Whacker

[@theoklahomaaviator]

Another great episode!! Love the podcast and everything you’re doing to keep aviation in the hearts and minds! Bravo Zulu!!!

[@hanschristianben505]

super thanks for this sirs! my dad flew the Bronco in the Philippine Air Force, and his personal mount (ex-USAF s/n 67-14636) is the only remaining -A model still flying for the PAF (all the rest are ex-RTAF -C variants)

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You're welcome!

[@glennchambers2220]

TC, the character on Magnum PI, frequently wore a VMO-2 Da Nang hat on the show. Seemed like a nice tribute to the Marines who flew them. The Cambodia quip was funny. The Navy did in fact operate the OV-10 from 1969-1972 in Vietnam in the squadron VAL-4. Carter got the “Black Ponies” name right, but contrary to his assertion in the beginning of the interview, they were not borrowed from the Marine Corps.

[@mrdddeeezzzweldor5039]

I watched an OV-10 fly in Red Flag training at Nellis in the late 70's. The first time one showed up was a learning experience since nothing like it was a typical part of guest group missions. Like the B-52, a definite standout on the range once you caught sight of it.

[@dgax65]

I saw paratroop drops from OV-10s at the MCAS El Toro airshows between 1980 and 1982. The drops were done as part of their MAGTAF demo. Each drop I saw was 4 Recon Marines. They would squeeze the guys in, nut to butt, in a seated position and the hinged rear of the fuselage was removed. The drops I saw were a fast, low level pass with a very rapid climb at somewhere around 45 degrees. From what I could see, the paratroopers just slid/tumbled out when they got to the drop altitude. I have seen the CalFire OV-10s at a couple of airshows around Southern California.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That sounds about right--I'm not crazy after all!

[@paulmillard1130]

Just ACE this show blows me away!

[@earlyprimate]

For those that have read We Few or Da Nang Diary....it's Covey

[@FlyingDutchmanPodcast]

Here in Sacramento Ca the CDF does bring an OV-10 to the California Capital Airshow every year in either September or October

[@jedibusiness789]

I saw 5 recon Marines drop out of OV 10 during a vertical climb at El Toro during an Airshow

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That sounds like what I saw, wonder if it was the same show?

[@cab6273]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Were you at the El Toro air show when the F/A-18 crashed doing the square loop? Marines jumped from OV-10’s at that show. I was lucky enough to be one of them. Scary as hell, though.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@cab6273 nope, missed that one

[@timickes]

the one pictured above was out of George AFB in Victorville

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Good to know. 👍

[@timblack6422]

We had those at Sembach Air Base in the 80s. West Germany. Too cool! He was out of Sembach also!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That jives with Carter's interview.

[@jeffreymcquate9108]

I saw the tail stand airborne demo at Quantico during OCS. It's a real thing.

[@cab6273]

Jell-O, if by any chance you were at the 1988 El Toro MCAS air show then you did see Marines jump from an OV-10. Marines from 3d ANGLICO jumped on Sunday as part of the MAGTF demo. As I recall Saturday was rained out but Sunday was perfect.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Very possible. I started at UC Irvine that year

[@DaveWhoa]

seeing those long columns of Russian tanks in Ukraine made me realise that I havent yet listened to the "044 - A-10 Thunderbolt II" Fighter Pilot Podcast episode! Hey Jello some episodes about DRONES would be awesome!

[@couchfighter]

I emailed him info on a 3 star guy I know that is directly involved with the drone program and he was like "NAH" I even made a video with pics and clips and he was like "NAH" He's content with the current format. complacent, not wanting to improve the show at all.

[@DaveWhoa]

@@couchfighter odd :(

[@jayjordan3868]

The marines did put four to five jumpers in the back. The plane would pop the nose up and the jumpers basically fell out.

[@ronrry16]

These planes are still being used by the Philippine Air Force 15th Strike Wing. Participated with the defense of Marawi during the city's seige by ISIS-backed forces in 2017. The PAF employ these aircraft to use laser guided bombs and Maverick missiles.

[@hanschristianben505]

nope, the 15th SW didn’t have AGM-65s in the armory, those were carried by the FA-50s… but they did carried and dropped GBU-49s (the upgraded version of the GBU-12 LGB)

[@zippers4ever172]

OV-10 jumps were a thing. It’s a static line deployment. Remove the aft cover and slide 5 dudes nuts to butts into the space. Never got to do it but always wanted to.

[@FeWolf]

Is my favorite plane of all, and was our support plane in South America

[@rogerkober9836]

Jello I know they did vertical OV-10 parachute drops as you described during MAGTF (Marine Air Ground Task Force) demos at MCAS El Toro Air shows. I saw a guy get briefly hung up as he slid out the back of a Bronco.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Doh! 😲

[@abandonedaccount123]

the bronco is such a pretty plane

[@rajasoumyajit]

My cousin brother has retired Indian Airforce, Mig21, Mig27,Mig29,Su30Mki pilot. Who was on the first IAF &USAF REDFLAG and other exercises. He was a Tacde Grad & Commandant (Topgun school equivalent). Does he qualify for an interview? 😇

[@spacebear49]

The OV-10 looks like the result of a P-38 mating with a Jeep.

[@ji3194]

If I were to win the Lotto the OV-10 would be my dream warbid!

[@jakeb7087]

My grandfather was a Bronco pilot for the 20th TASS out of Da Nang. He had an ANGLICO back seater who was with him on his last mission on June 29, 1972. Da Nang, at least the 20th TASS worked in Laos and Quang Tri/Hue area. Yes, that is how paratroopers would jump out btw. They would pitch up and “dump” them out. My grandfather, Captain Bennett, had used all his munitions when he received his final call for help and went in dry.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

#respect.

[@jakeb7087]

⁠@@FighterPilotPodcastThank you. Just got to the ejection seat part, and that was a big thing for my family. My grandfather’s back seater had his parachute shredded so they couldn’t eject because of the tandem ejection seat. So grandaddy elected to ditch into the Gulf. The manual read that you cannot ditch in the water, and in the manual it was written in red. So grandaddy went down with the plane but the back seater survived and is the only person in the world to survive an OV-10 water ditching. All total he had 15 minutes knowing he wouldn’t make it.

[@jakeb7087]

@@FighterPilotPodcast and just looked up Maj. Carter and he was in Da Nang when my grandfather was. I would love to talk with him to see if they ever ran into each other

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@jakeb7087 yikes. 🙏

[@jakeb7087]

@@FighterPilotPodcast as far as I know, grandaddy is the last action of a pilot to receive the Medal of Honor.

[@Riceball01]

If I knew how to fly and could own any plane out there the OV-10 would be a the top of my list. I've always loved that plane and I feel that an updated OV-10 would the perfect COIN/light attack aircraft thathe Air Force is looking for. But I guess it's just too old and not sexy enough for the Air Force.

[@afmoney161]

USAF structures mechanic seen those 135 booms ice sheilds come back looking like a crushed coke can lol!

[@FlyingDutchmanPodcast]

Back in 2017 a Travis KC-10 lost its boom over Idaho Oh Snap!

[@leeadams5941]

IMHO, the OV10 going away is a travesty, the Airforce and the Navy have a huge need for close air support and the OV10 will do things no other aircraft in the inventory will. Re-engineing with off-the-shelf engines is possible for the power and it will land much shorter than 2000 feet...using basic short field techniques ...as we speak the Airforce is spending millions looking for a smaller short field aircraft that will do a lot less than the OV10...another example of our government spending unnecessary money to get less than they already have.

[@bobbertee5945]

Bob Hoover flew the OV-10 in air shows for a few years…

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That dude did it all!

[@seana7036]

Where's the P3 episode??

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

On the way, eventually.

[@seana7036]

@@FighterPilotPodcast I'm with the Q out here at Whidbey working the ole girl. I'm sure you have plenty of friends who flew her but if you need any contacts let me know. Thanks for what you do!

[@SDsc0rch]

classic

[@ahwongwk]

i saw OV-10 Bronco on a static display in Taiwan..

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

How'd it look?

[@joseenricovillacorte7670]

Philippine's main CAS aircraft.

[@iandaniel1748]

I remember one special type OV 10 gunship

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yeah...?

[@iandaniel1748]

Didn't now to so I was looking and accidentally I was surprised to now that option . Because Philippines looking new replacement it was expensive. And now much better and 40 years old u can buy the copy right or license u look in Google or KZbin there are old vedio type OV 10 gunship

[@ArveEriksson]

Retiring the F-22, already... Talk about questionable return on investment!! (Can I have one of those babies, though?)

[@ArveEriksson]

Okay, fair enough, maybe that was about the early models, but still.

[@jasondelaney6849]

What is a OH-10?

[@jasondelaney6849]

@@hughman3241 I was pointing out the the misspelling

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@jasondelaney6849 yeah, thanks

[@jasondelaney6849]

@@FighterPilotPodcast your welcome

[@scottgrimwood8868]

I use to know an USMC OV-10 plot with VMO-2 at Camp Pendleton. His version had a chin turret with a 20mm gun.

[@scottgrimwood8868]

Yes I saw a Parachute drop from the OV-10 at an airshow in Southern California in the late 1980s, possibly MCAS El Toro. I knew a Navy SEAL that jumped out of a OV-10 once.

[@danb1059]

Jello, My in-laws also live in Grants Pass.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Good to know. 👍

[@danb1059]

Small world, beautiful area. They moved from the bay area to GP about 30 yrs ago. They love the town.

[@friedmac7146]

Solid Content, A proud Self Reliant Mgtow tuning in. # I'm nobody's bench mark. 🇺🇸🦅😎🍺⚓

[@thedoctrinetv]

Have you ever seen a plane that's both as ugly and as beautiful as a Bronco?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

A-10 maybe

[@utinhtay3412]

Tgym 😁

[@couchfighter]

BOUGHT BACK FROM THE PHILLIPINES AND UPDATED TO FIGHT ISIS/ISIL A FEW YEARS BACK , NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR "TEAM" LOL

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

I am unsure what you mean. Or why you're shouting.

[@sanunboonmee3025]

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