North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco

$480,000 (in 1986) light attack and observation aircraft

Overview

North American Aviation (NAA) United States ICAO: V10 1965–1986 Active $480,000 (1986)

The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was developed in the 1960s as an aircraft for counter-insurgency combat. It is a twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft whose main role was as a forward air control aircraft. Introduced in October 1969, the OV-10 Bronco was primarily used by the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, as well as the Philippine Air Force.

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Specifications

Units
Engine
2 × Garrett T76-G-420/421
Engine type
Turboprop
Power
2 × 1,040 shp · 776 kW
Avionics
—
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
2
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
44 ft 0 in  ·  13.41 m
Tail height
15 ft 1 in  ·  4.60 m
Fuselage diameter
3 ft 11 in  ·  1.20 m
Wing span
40 ft 0 in  ·  12.20 m
Baggage volume
109 ft³  ·  3.1 m³
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
14,400 lb  ·  6,550 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
3,700 lb  ·  1,700 kg
Fuel capacity
250 gal · 1,000 L · 800 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
250 kt  ·  288 mph  ·  463 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
45 kt  ·  52 mph  ·  83 km/h
Range
1,200 nm  ·  1,380 mi  ·  2,220 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
26,000 ft  ·  7,900 m
Rate of climb
2,650 ft/min  ·  13 m/s
Takeoff distance
2,800 ft  ·  850 m
Landing distance
1,250 ft  ·  380 m
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An OV-10 Bronco aircraft firing a White phosphorus smoke rocket.

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Operational Context

The OV-10D version is a second-generation Bronco built under the Night Observation Gunship System program. This version was a much improved OV-10A airframe, incorporating a forward-looking infrared night vision system.

It was also fitted with larger engines and bigger propellers made of fiberglass. Seventeen OV-10D were converted from OV-10A. It has an external length of 13.41 meters, an external height of 2.5 meters, and a fuselage width of 1.2 meters.

The tail height is 4.62 meters and the wheelbase is 3.7 meters. It has a wingspan of 12.2 meters and a wing area of 27.03 square meters. The aircraft has an empty weight of 3,127 kg and a gross weight of 4,494 kg. The maximum takeoff weight is 6,552 kg. It has a maximum payload of 1,679 kg and a fuel tank capacity of 252 US gal.

The OV-10D is powered by two Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines. Each engine is rated at 1,040 shaft horsepower thrust and drives three-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed fully feathering propellers. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 250 knots at sea level.

It has a combat range of 198 nautical miles and a ferry range of 1,200 nautical miles with auxiliary fuel. The service ceiling is 30,000 feet and the rate of climb is 2,020 feet per minute. The take-off run is 226 meters, the take-off distance to 15 meters is 341 meters and at MTOW is 853 meters.

The landing run at MTOW is 38 meters. The aircraft could be loaded with a single 20 mm M197 electric cannon or four M60C machine guns and seven hard points; five on the fuselage and two underwing with provisions to carry combinations of 7- or 19-tube launchers for 2.75 in Folding Fin Aerial Rockets/2.75 in WAFARs or 2- or 4-tube launchers for 5 in FFARs or WAFARs, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on wings, and up to 227 kg of bombs.