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OV-10 in action [Photo: US Navy | Wikimedia Commons.]
Episode 2672 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the OV-Bronco and its contributions during the American War in Vietnam. The featured story appeared on the Simple Flying website and was titled: Versatile Military Turboprop: The Story Of The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. It was submitted by Mark Finlay. He is an experienced travel journalist having published work in the industry for more than seven years. His enthusiasm for aviation news and wealth of experience lends itself to some excellent insight, with his work cited in Forbes amongst other publications. He is based in Alicante, Spain.
According to the Simple Flying website, it is the leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. It continues with this, Simple Flying was launched in June 2018. their goal is to provide a one-stop hub for all the key stories on commercial aviation, sharing the news in a simple, accessible way. they cover all regions, and all aspects of commercial aviation. They are digital first, and all of Their content is free to read and access.
In his story Finlay reports that the versatile Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was a twin-engine, multipurpose aircraft designed for counter-insurgency, observation, and attack for the United States military. In the early 1960s, the United States Marine Corps wanted a rugged, close air support aircraft that could be used to support ground operations. As for the United States Air Force (USAF), they were busy working on America’s nuclear deterrent and had no desire for what would become the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.
The Marine Corps envisaged a plane that could operate on roads as runways close to its forward bases of operations. How fast the plane could fly was not such a concern, but what was needed was an aircraft that could loiter in the air without refueling longer than a comparable jet. It was decided that turboprop engines would be better than piston engines and that self-loading recoilless rifles for weapons would be more suitable than cannons and rockets.
Listen to episode 2672 and discover more about the OV-10 Bronco and its contributions during the American War in Vietnam.
