Founder's Day 2010 On July 17th, the day before the museum grand opening, OBA members and friends gathered to celebrate the OBA's 12th anniversary and the 45th anniversary of the OV-10 Bronco's first flight with our annnual Founder's Day gathering. Attendees were treated to a "sneak peek" at the new museum and celebrated the many extraordinary efforts necessary to make it a reality. Roy Pitt and Terry Tabor cut the ribbon on the new museum! Founder's Day attendees check out the new digs. We also celebrated the arrival of our newest aircraft, a US Army OH-58 Kiowa helicopter. Here's a nifty walk-through of the new facility!

The Veterans Memorial Air Park is the home of the B-36 Peacemaker Museum, the Forward Air Controller's Museum (FACM) and the OV-10 Bronco Association (OBA). The airpark also has seventeen aircraft on display, most of which have histories attached to the Fort Worth area. Aircraft built in the area include a rare Convair TF-102 Delta Dagger (partially built in Fort Worth), a General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark fighter-bomber, a Vought RF-8 Crusader photo reconnaissance aircraft, and an A-7 Corsair II ground attack aircraft (both built in Grand Prairie). Other aircraft available for viewing were stationed and flown here by the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. These include the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, Grumman F-14D Tomcat, and Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter jets; a McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk ground attack aircraft, and the museums namesake, two North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco observation and forward air control aircraft, among other types.

The museum's indoor displays include a presentation by the Fort Worth Air and Space Museum Foundation on aviation history in North Texas; the B-36 Peacemaker Museum, highlighting the design and manufacturing of the B-36 bomber at Plant No. 4 (at the present site of the Lockheed Martin aircraft production facility) and many of the other military aircraft and the people who designed, built and flew them here. This portion of the display contains many rare Fort Worth-related items.

The Forward Air Controller's Museum (aka FAC Museum or FACM) tells the history of the role of Forward Observers in the development of military aviation and communications in the role of Close Air Support, all the way from its inception in 1794 in France with balloons to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAV's of today. The exhibition has a special emphasis on the "Golden Age of Forward Air Control" during the Vietnam War, and contains many rare items from that era. The Bronco Ready Room, used for presentations, replicates a squadron meeting room and exhibits a large collection of OV-10 Bronco artwork. In addition, visitors can see a presentation of aviation photography by noted aviation author and photographer Jay Miler in the Learning Center and library. Aviation movies are also available for continuous viewing throughout the museum.

The three primary goals of the museum are Preservation, Inspiration and Education. To emphasize this, the Air Park will offer special programs for local middle and elementary schools in association with the Tarrant County College Department of Aviation. The facility will also be available for special use rentals and private tours.

The Veterans Memorial Air Park is a Blue Star Museum. This designation is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 750 museums in all 50 states to offer free admission to military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010.

The Fort Worth Veteran's Memorial Air Park and the Forward Air Controller's Museum is owned and operated by the OV-10 Bronco Association, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the preservation of historic combat aircraft and other aspects of military aviation. In addition, these groups strive to inspire youth to careers in aviation and provide various educational opportunities to the general public. The B-36 Peacemaker Museum is a tenant of the Veterans Memorial Air Park and also enjoys a 501(c)3 non-profit status.

For more info: FACMuseum.org OV-10Bronco.net B-36PeacemakerMuseum.org Contact Info: Jim Hodgson Executive Director Email: txavi8or@gmail.com Phone: (800) 575-0535 Cell: (817) 291-6101

Schwartz told the group "There is a not a need, in my view, for large numbers of light strike or light lift aircraft in our Air Force to do general purpose force missions... with the platforms that we already have in our force structure, and our capabilities, we can service any close air support requirement. It's as simple as that."

He did state that there is a missing link in the USAF's capability to train foreign air forces. He suggested that this should be an aircraft that is in the USAF inventory so that foreign governments will be more likely to buy them for themselves. He said that in 2012, the USAF will hold the Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) competition to choose 15 such aircraft, which will most likely be prop-driven, and would be used as trainers, but not as USAF COIN aircraft. Afghanistan and Iraq are specifically targeted as beneficiaries of this program, and there is an emphasis on "modest cost". All this appears to heavily favor a variant of the Raytheon T-6A Texan II, which is used by the USAF and US Navy and already has a logistics system in place which would likely be easy to extend to foreign allies we are working closely with.

Schwartz's clarification that the goal of the LAAR program is to serve as a USAF-owned training fleet dedicated to foreign military training is a contradiction to previous indications, which were that LAAR was meant to help restore the "down and dirty" close-air support capabilities that the US military lost with the retirement of planes such as the OV-10 Bronco and O-2 Skymaster, among others.

However, there is disagreement on the issue. In March 2010, Gen. James Mattis of Joint Forces Command told the US Senate's Armed Services Committee of the need to obtain a light fighter-type aircraft to support irregular warfare, slamming the modern approach of using highly advanced and expensive aircraft and a command bureaucracy to decide what to shoot at. A RAND report entitled "Courses of Action for Enhancing U.S. Air Force Irregular Warfare Capabilities" also proclaimed a need for the military to create a dedicated COIN squadron with about 100 light attack aircraft, in part to relieve the pressure on "high-end" fast jet fighters. RAND said that "partners are more likely to want aircraft that U.S. forces are flying to great effect". The US Navy has a new office for irregular warfare and has been considering adopting Embraer's Super Tucano.

Whether this will affect Boeing's OV-10(X) modernized Bronco proposal remains to be seen... Boeing (which absorbed NAA/Rockwell) has sold and supported many OV-10 variants to foreign nations starting in the 1970's, with much success. So even without USAF interest in a modernized OV-10, Boeing may yet find a market for the plane worldwide in countries that can put it's unique capabilities and features to good use.

CWR '10 will be held at Meacham Field in Ft. Worth, TX on Saturday, May 22, 2010. We have a great schedule of events set up, and a lot of great aircraft are scheduled to be there both flying and on static display. Proceeds benefit the Veterans Memorial Air Park. You can learn more at the CWR website at CowtownWarbirdRoundup.org

We hope to see you there!!

CWR 2010 Plan of the Day May 22, 2010 Info updated 5/10/2010 Download printable version (PDF file, 1.8 MB) (POD updated 5/10/2010) Time Event 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Open to General Public Tactical Briefings, Movies & Aerials Demos: 9:30 am American Legion Riders and Combat Veterans MA motorcycle parade 10:30 am Dana Bowman - Skydive Demo 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Tractor Pulls 11:00 am VMFAT-101, F/A-18 - 3-Ship Fly-By 12:00 pm 732nd Airlift Squadron - C-17 Demo 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm 1st Movie: "One Tough Ride: The Story Of The OV-10 Bronco" 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm 1st Tactical Briefing: Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) Ground FACs by VT-86 ("Saberhawks") 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm 2nd Movie: "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm 2nd Tactical Briefing: USMC F/A-18 Forward Air Control Airborne "FAC(A)" by VMFAT-101 ("Sharpshooters") 2:00 pm Trojan Phlyers T-28 Demo 2:30 pm O-2 Skymaster Fly-By 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm 3rd Tactical Briefing: USN F/A-18 Super Hornet FACA by VFA-122 ("Flying Eagles") 2:45 pm People's Choice Auto Show winner announcement 3:00 pm - 4:50 pm 3rd Movie: "Suicide Missions - Forward Air Controllers" 3:30 pm Bird Dog Farewell Fly-By 3:30 pm - 4:15 pm 4th Tactical Briefing: USAF OA-10 Forward Air Control/Close Air Support (FAC/CAS) by 355th Fighter Wing 5:00 pm Close activities For everyone's safety and comfort, no tents, alcoholic beverages, pets, bicycles, firearms, skateboards or scooters are allowed on the grounds.

CWR 2010 - INVITED AIRCRAFT NOTE: This is the list of invited aircraft. Due to factors beyond our control (weather, military operations, mechanical problems, etc.) the aircraft actually appearing at the event is subject to change. Download printable version (PDF file, 1.9 MB) SERVICE AIRCRAFT UNIT BASE QTY. USAF C-130 Hercules 136th AW NAS JRB Fort Worth 1 USAF C-17 Globemaster III 732th ALS McGuire AFB 1 USN C-40 Clipper VR-59 NAS JRB Fort Worth 1 USN C-9 Skytrain VR-46 NAS JRB Fort Worth 1 USMC CH-46 Sea Knight HMMT-164 MCB Camp Pendleton 1 USMC CH-53 Sea King HMH-465 MCAS Miramar 1 USMC EA-6 Prowler VMAQ-4 MCAS Cherry Point 1 USAF F-15E Eagle 333rd FS Seymour-Johnson AFB 2 USMC F-5E Tiger II VMFT-401 MCAS Yuma 2 USN F-5E Tiger II VFC-13 NAS Fallon 2 USMC F/A-18 Hornet VMFA-112 NAS JRB Fort Worth 1 USMC F/A-18 Hornet VMFA-232 MCAS Miramar 2 USMC F/A-18 Hornet VMFAT-101 MCAS Miramar 3 USN F/A-18F Super Hornet VFA-122 NAS Lemoore 2 Civilian JRB-6 Tradewind 1 USMC KC-130T Hercules VMGR-234 NAS JRB Fort Worth 1 Civilian L-4 Grasshopper 1 Civilian L-5 Sentinel 1 Civilian L-19 Birdog 1 Civilian L-19 Birdog 1 Civilian L-19 Birdog 1 Civilian L-19 Birdog 1 Civilian L-19 Birdog 1 Civilian O-2 Skymaster 1 USAF OA-10 Warthog 917th AW Barksdale AFB 1 USN P-3 Orion VP-30 NAS Jacksonville 1 Civilian PT-17 Stearman 1 Civilian PT-19 Trainer 1 Civilian R4D Gooneybird 1 USN T-1 Jayhawk VT-4 NAS Pensacola 1 Civilian T-28 Trojan 1 USAF T-38 Talon 80th FTW Sheppard AFB 1 USN T-39 Saberliner VT-86 NAS Pensacola 1 USN T-45 Goshawk VT-86 NAS Pensacola 2 USAF T-6 Texan II 71st FTW Vance AFB 1 USAF T-6 Texan II 80th FTW Sheppard AFB 1 USN T-6 Texan II VT-4 NAS Pensacola 2 USN TH-57 Sea Ranger HT-8 NAS Whiting 2 USN UC-12 Huron NAS JRB Fort Worth 1

(Map updated 5/10/2010)
Download printable version (PDF file, 2.7 MB)

However, just what aircraft will replace the Bronco is still up in the air. It was reported last year that they were looking at Chinese and Russian airframes, however it seems that for the Bronco replacement at least, the Brazilians are now the apparent front-runners. The article "Air Force to purchase 16 Super Tucano fighters" from the Jakarta Post on Jan. 24, 2010 states that the Broncos will be replaced by Brazilian-made Embraer Super Tucanos, which are in widespread service in several countries in the COIN role. This article states:

"The Indonesian Air Force plans to purchase a squadron of 16 warplanes widely known as Super Tucanoes to replace the OV-10 Bronco aircraft, which have been in service for more than three decades, says Air Force Chief Marshal Imam Sufaat. ... 'The purchase is part of our effort to improve the Air Force's weaponry system. We have proposed the purchase to the government with the hope that they will grant the funds,' he said in Yogyakarta on Saturday."

Previous articles (from late 2009) had indicated that Indonesia desired to obtain replacement aircraft from Russia and China, however it appears that this route may now be much more likely to happen with the Hawk's replacement than that for the Broncos.

An excellent analysis on the situation has been published at Defense Industry Daily on Jan. 25, 2010, entitled "Indonesia Looking for Trainer/Attack Aircraft". They state:

"There are conflicting reports regarding the presence of a signed Super Tucano contract. If there is no contract, and the Super Tucano sale falls through for any reason, Indonesia would have several options. They could default to a common jet solution for the Hawks and OV-10s, or begin work with a foreign country like China or South Korea to modify an existing aircraft as their OV-10 replacement, or buy a ready-made Super Tucano alternative. Other propeller-driven FAC/COIN options already in the market include Hawker Beechcraft's AT-6B (modified T-6 trainer, in development, tentatively ordered by Iraq), and the cheaper, sturdier AC-802u Air Tractor (modified and armored crop duster/ firefighter, prototype produced). Both are American products. Korea's KO-1 Woong Bee armed derivative of its KT-1 trainer is reportedly in limbo, but Indonesia has reportedly already bought some KT-1s; if true, this could make the KA-1/KO-1 a joint development option for the 2 countries."

Will religion shoot down the Super Tucano?

A&S is one of the most interesting aviation mags out there and we heartily endorse getting a subscription, but you don't have to be a subscriber to read the article as it's posted online as well:

• Article: http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/Legends-of-Vietnam-Broncos-Tale.html
• Photo Gallery: http://www.airspacemag.com/multimedia/photos/?articleID=82258917&c=y
• Video Clip: http://www.airspacemag.com/multimedia/videos/One-Tough-Airplane.html

The US State Department's fleet of OV-10D and OV-10G Broncos, which were until recently used to fly anti-narcotics spray missions in Central and South America, are now being sent on to begin new lives in a variety of roles and locations throughout the United States. Best of all, many will continue to fly!

CDF's Ferry Flight Here are some shots of CDF's preparations and the coast-to-coast ferry flight to bring their OV-10D's from Maryland to California. Photos courtesy Mel Clouser.

On December 16, 2009, three OV-10D Broncos which were recently retired from anti-narcotics service with the US State Department took off from a storage facility in Hagerstown, Maryland, bound for Sacramento, CA, to serve as aerial firefighting spotter and control aircraft with the CDF (Calif. Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire). The three Broncos (BuNos 155395, 155406 and 155502) were "de-preserved" and flown back to California on a four day cross country flight, arriving in Sacramento on Saturday, December 19th. The depreservation crew consisted of OBA Director (and "Doctor of Broncology") Melvin Clouser (mechanic), Tony Agosto (Quality Control Rep), Marty Buno (CalFire Rep) and Russ Looney (Test Pilot), while the ferry flight crew consisted of Todd Deline (Pilot), Lee Donham (Pilot), Ray DiLorenzo (Pilot) and Melvin Clouser (Mechanic). The three Broncos are now parked on CalFire's ramp alongside the existing fleet of OV-10A Broncos. The D's await annual inspections, which likely won't happen for several months. It's unclear whether they will be "donor" airframes or will be converted to fly for the firefighting efforts. If so, they will have their armor plating, spray equipment, and other modifications not useful to the CDF's mission removed.

Just before that, another Bronco went to a new home in Florida. Bob Finer sent us the following write-up: "On December 10, 2009, OV-10 Bronco BuNo 155447, after being de-preserved and serviced, was test flown and delivered to the Lee County Florida Mosquito Control District (LCMCD) by retired Marine Corps LtCol and former Bronco pilot Bob Finer. Serving as technical consultant and assisting in the process was Bronco Mech and retired Marine Master Sergeant, Melvin Clouser. Finer and Clouser served together in VMO-2 almost thirty years ago. This particular aircraft, while in Marine "green", was flown by VMO-1 as an A model before being converted to a D model during the 1970's. It was then later modified to the "D-plus" configuration through the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) in the late 1980's. After service in the Marine Corps, this aircraft was acquired by the U.S. State Department where it was modified for use in their counternarcotics program. Clouser worked with the LCMCD maintenance contingent of Al Bennett and Dave Statler in the de-preservation and flight preparation, while Finer's counterpart in the flight checks and delivery process was Robert Roper, one of the pilots on the Bronco program for LCMCD."

Note: The photos Bob sent sent show a plane with a four-bladed prop, which would seem to indicate the plane has actually been upgraded to the G-model standard (updated engines, props, and avionics)... however I'm a bit unclear as to if the photos were of the specific aircraft sent to LCMC, or if any of the D's got only a prop upgrade. In any case, G-model Broncos can be considered as a modernized D-model.

The remainder of the former DOS Bronco fleet, all of which are ex-USMC OV-10D models and a few modernized OV-10G models, are being distributed throughout the country. Here are the ones we are currently aware of.

The GSA has sent the following BuNos to the following states. Please let us know if you can fill in the blanks further!

• BuNo 155395 - Calif. Dept. of Forestry & Fire Prot. (CDF), CA (OV-10D) **
• BuNo 155406 - Calif. Dept. of Forestry & Fire Prot. (CDF), CA (OV-10D)
• BuNo 155409 - Valiant Air Command Museum, Titusville, FL (OV-10G, FAA lists as OV-10D, Reg. N15453 as of 01/2010)
• BuNo 155417 - New York
• BuNo 155436 - Russell Military Museum, Zion, IL
• BuNo 155447 - Lee County Mosquito Control District, FL (OV-10D+ [G?], Reg. N592MC as of 04/2010)
• BuNo 155451 - Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Sevierville, TN (OV-10D, Reg. N12320 in 07/2010)
• BuNo 155470 - Unknown Owner in Beaufort, SC (OV-10D, Reg. N34578 "Pending" as of 07/2010)
• BuNo 155474 - Vermont
• BuNo 155502 - Calif. Dept. of Forestry & Fire Prot. (CDF), CA (OV-10D, Reg. N477AW as of 04/2010)

A word of caution... please note that whenever significant numbers of any highly sought-after warbird like the OV-10 become available, a flurry of rumors and misinformation always seems to accompany it... so until actual possession of airframes can be verified or we learn from people directly involved, it can be difficult to confirm who is "actually" receiving an aircraft as opposed to the folks who sometimes claim "they're going to" when in fact they aren't on the final list. Nevertheless, here's the info on other new owners (or rumors of such) that we've compiled thus far. Note that the GSA often actually retains ownership rights for some period of time (typically 5 years) before the new owners actually assume full possession of the aircraft, especially in the case of museums and training schools.

• NASA is receiving two G models (this is an engine, prop, and avionics modernization program offered by Marsh Aviation in Arizona, which was originally developed by the Colombian Air Force) which will join their existing Bronco fleet used for scientific research. BuNo 155481 is now registered as N34457 and BuNo 155492 is now registered as N3634U (the FAA lists both as OV-10Ds). (Confirmed!)
• The Lee County Mosquito Control District (LCMCD) in Florida received OV-10D+ BuNo 155447, now registered as N592MC. (Confirmed!)
• Valiant Air Command Museum in Titusville, FL has been confirmed to have received an airworthy G-model Bronco with no restrictions against flight. It will live in the new Vietnam hangar currently being built. During the day on Monday, 5/10/2010, the plane was towed on its own landing gear from Patrick AFB to the VAC... a distance of about 20 miles! This caused quite a stir along the way. News reports indicated that it "was safer" to tow it over the road than get it ready for a ferry flight. This is BuNo 155409 and it's registered as N15453 (FAA lists it as an OV-10D). (Confirmed!)
• The State of Georgia is said to have received one Bronco (Unconfirmed)
• Russell Military Museum, Zion, Illinois has already taken possession of BuNo 155436. They have a bunch of boxes including engines and props. (Confirmed)
• There had been some serious proposals for transferring these planes to a foreign country for government/military service, but it now appears that this idea may have fallen through. (Proposal confirmed, outcome speculatory)
• Boeing's OV-10X proposal for the USAF's LAAR project might have used one or more of these airframes as a demonstration platform, however it is being speculated by many that the OV-10X is rather unlikely to come to fruition. (Logically, restarting the OV-10 production line offers additional challenges over adapting an aircraft currently in widespread active service, such as the Super Tucano or AT-6 Texan II, although neither of these offers all of the unique features of the Bronco.)

We'll bring you more information as we learn it.

Bronco in storage in Maryland Pilot Bob Finer "Doctor" Mel Clouser Note that this Bronco has been upgraded to a new, 4-blade prop.

For the first time ever, all Marines who served in VMO units from the Bronco era, from the first combat flight of a VMO-1 Bronco in 1968 to the deactivation of VMO-4 in 1994, will have a reunion encompassing all VMO units! For more info, see the reunion website at www.vmoreunion.com. VMO-2 vet Cyla Barron-Huber is organizing this event, and she's looking for your photos and stories to make it better.... please contact her at xwm.vmo2@a@.net if you can help! This is a reunion that's not to be missed, and it's not just about the Bronco, it's about each other.

Jerry with his O-2 at NKP in 1967 Jerry at the 2008 FAC Reunion, Colorado Springs (Gary Dikkers photo) Jerry at the Gathering of Nails, April 2009 (Dave Perdue photo)

We are sad to report the passing of LtCol Jerry Noel Stephan, Nail 57, on Friday Nov. 20, 2009, after a battle with multiple cancers. He was 67 years old. In the early days of the VMAP, Jerry joined up and took upon himself the task of restoring our O-2A to display condition, quickly throwing himself into the project with a fervor and dedication that surprised many. That first O-2 had actually crashed and been removed from service, and it took a huge amount of work to get it into the fine display condition that it's in now. Later, he worked on our other Duck, among other things.

More important than his hard work towards building the museum, Jerry was just plain a good guy and a good friend to a great many people. Jerry was an Air Force fighter pilot and FAC during Vietnam, and had the unique distinction of getting attacked by an An-2 biplane while flying a mission in an O-2! (Obviously he did manage to escape, but it took a while to convince anyone what had happened.) During the last several years, Jerry was really enjoying re-connecting with old friends as well as making many new ones. Despite his illness, he continued to stay as involved as he could in the museum and in the organization, right up until just a few short weeks before he passed away. In the end, Jerry had the blessings of family and friends surrounding him through a difficult battle, and we know that we have been made better people for having been able to know him.

Jerry is survived by his children, Vincent, Scott and Shauna Stephan; his mother Dorothy; his brother Ronald; beloved grandchildren Mackenzie, Harrison and Julia Stephan; and a multitude of extended family members and friends.

Fellow FAC Ned "Crash" Helm posted the following on FACNet about Jerry, which bears repeating:

To those of you who never met Jerry here are some pix and his story from Cleared Hot I. Jerry is not a statistic... he is a Bud... who had good times and bad...

He arrived in Viet Nam as an F-4 back seater and then was whisked away to be a FAC and ended up as Nail 57 at NKP. Besides being a Nail on the trail his claim to fame was getting bounced by an AN-2 Colt. That story is attached. His score card includes a Silver Star and numerous DFCs and air medals.... but they really are not the measure of a man. What struck me most was his absolute dedication to preserving the past (he has been accused of living there!!). To that end he is a fervent supporter of the FACM/OBA and almost single handedly restored a magnificent O-2 (if one can use O-2 and magnificent in the same sentence LOL) which graces the FACM.

Again, as Ned said: "Snappy salute to a FAC, Fighter Pilot, and restorer of our history."

There was a slight delay for a historic reason... the volunteers were witness to the spectacular sight of the Space Shuttle Discovery being ferried on the back of NASA's modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (N911NA), which landed at the base to refuel during the trip back to Florida from Edwards AFB in California where the STS-127 mission landed last week. With only 6 more shuttle flights scheduled, it's very likely that this amazing sight will never be repeated until the orbiters make one last fligth to their final display locations after they are retired next year.

Despite the delay, the airframes were mostly delievered to VMAP by about 1 PM. The tail section of the TA-4J remains at the JRB, but will be retrieved soon. There was an issue with the crane the Marines brought not being able to lift the F-4C over the fence at the VMAP, but some friends from the city were able to assist a couple of days later so the Rhino's now safely in our "petting zoo" as well. There are some odds and ends yet to do but (mentally at least) getting the planes to our facility is a HUGE boost to our efforts! Members of the media from DFW People and NAS News were in attendance when the aircraft arrived, so we anticipate some positive media coverage of our activities.

A huge THANK YOU for all who helped out on this effort. The VMAP continues to grow due to the work of many hard-working volunteers, so that we can make sure that the deep history these aircraft represent will be shared and preserved for many more generations to come.

The Shuttle Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft arrive at JRB Ft. Worth. Igor wanted to know where exactly at the VMAP we were going to put this one.	The F-4 being prepped for loading on the trailer.
Up we go...	...and set 'er down gently.
Loading the front end of the Scooter on the trailer. It would have been too large to trailer had the tail been left attached.	The Rhino arrives at VMAP after a safe road trip.
The A-4 being offloaded at VMAP. This was the only Navy carrier jet that didn't have folding wings.	Welcome to your new home, little Scooter!

FORT WORTH, TX: The Veterans Memorial Air Park (VMAP) is set to recover two static display aircraft from the Joint Reserve Base Ft. Worth (Carswell Field) on Sunday, September 20th at 1 o'clock in the afternoon at its facility at 3300 Ross Avenue in Fort Worth.

Both of these aircraft have been on static display at the air base since the late 1980s. Recently, both of these aircraft became available to the VMAP through an aircraft loan program with the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

The TA-4J Skyhawk was built by Douglas as a two seat trainer. This model also served as a Fast FAC, forward air control aircraft during the Vietnam War era. Prior to being put on display at the JRB, this "Scooter," number 158073, served with the US Navy and US Marine Corps in numerous locations, including Kingsville, Texas, many US locations, Cuba, the Philippines and Puerto Rico. Some of the squadrons this aircraft operated in include; Training Squadrons, 4, 7, 21, 22; Navy Composite Squadrons 1, 5, 8 & 10; and several others before its last active squadron, VX-5 in China Lake, CA.

The USAF F-4C Phantom II (#64-0825) was built by McDonnell in 1965, it served with the 4520th CCTW at Nellis AFB, NV and the 4453rd CCTW at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. In 1966 it deployed to the 366th TFW at Da Nang AB, RVN where it remained in-theater until 1970, also serving with the 12th TFW. It then returned to the States with the 479th TFW & 35th TFW at George AFB, CA. Next it was transferred to to the 170th TFS/183rd TFG at Springfield ANGB, IL, the 142nd FIG at Klamath-Falls ANGB, OR and finally, last serving with the 301st TFW Carswell AFB, TX in 1987.

These two aircraft will become the sixteenth and seventeenth aircraft in the VMAP collection's air park. The VMAP has recently moved from it previous location on Meacham Field and now occupies five acres for aircraft display near it's museum and storage facility. The new museum is not yet open to the public while renovations are in progress. When open (in the next few months) the B-36 Peacemaker Museum, along with the Forward Air Controller's Museum and the OV-10 Bronco Association, will share the display space.

The VMAP, through it's parent organization, the OV-10 Bronco Association, Inc., is a not for profit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to the preservation of historic aircraft and the education and of our local community regarding the history of aviation in Fort Worth and North Texas.

Zoomed-in detail of the recently-released OV-10X graphic released by Boeing. Click here to view hi-res, un-cropped version. Credit: Boeing via Flightglobal.com

Interestingly, Trimble reports that some of the OV-10X's main competition are other updated planes from the past, as well as several aircraft originating outside the USA. Mentioned is the Piper Aircraft PA-48 Enforcer (an aborted project from the 1980's that married a turboprop to a P-51 Mustang airframe), newer turboprop fighter-trainers, such as the Raytheon AT-6 Texan II (a derivative of the T-6 trainer currently fielded by the USAF and Navy), the Embraer Super Tucano (which has combat history with various countries worldwide), and Alenia's transonic twin-jet M 346 trainer (which is based upon a join venture between Alenia and Russia's Yakovlev as the Yak-130). It certainly appears, however, that the OV-10 has by far the strongest combat record in the COIN/CAS role, and many feel it's certainly the most flexible aircraft of the group.

To be fair, other factors may help other competitors in other ways. Some others are in current production; the T-6/AT-6 is in current front-line service with two branches of the US military and thus may have a significant advantage in the important area of logistics and support. Right or wrong, as exemplified by the ongoing mess with the KC-X tanker contract, the current political climate often favors outsourcing military projects to other countries in order to pander to worldwide interests over supporting domestic procurement, either in full or in part. Furthermore, the USAF is infamous for favoring "sexy", exotic, and expensive weapons systems over those which are simpler, less expensive, but not as "glamorous" while getting the same job done. Hopefully the famous object lesson of the A-10 (which sadly, is still viewed with distain by some in the USAF leadership chain who apparently remain more focused on glamor than effectiveness and results) will carry forth regardless of the winner of this competition, and bring us the most effective aircraft possible. Fortunately for the OV-10X, providing brutal effectiveness in it's roles, at a relatively low cost, is one area in which the Bronco always shined more brightly than most of it's contemporaries! Boeing is a force to be reckoned with, and the Bronco's proven history over 4 decades of service in a wide variety of roles and environments will ensure that it is a very serious competitor.

You can learn more about this 42 minute film, view and download film clips and interviews, and purchase it on DVD at http://www.ov10film.com/.

Here is a list of links to articles and blogs we've been alerted to which are related to the current rumblings about re-starting OV-10 production. It also includes some material that better explains the background and justifications for doing so:

Flight International - 'Boeing considers restarting OV-10 production after 23-year hiatus' (Stephen Trimble)
News article about the possible re-activation of the Bronco production

Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis (SCEA) - 'Counterinsurgency Aircraft Procurement: An Acquisition Approach'

Small Wars Journal - 'A Method & Estimate For Counterinsurgency Aircraft Procurement' (Maj. David L. Peeler, Jr.)

Boyd Conference 2008 - 'Expanding U.S. Tactical Aviation's "Approved Belief"' (Dan Moore)
Not OV-10 specific, but some very interesting observations on the school of thought within the US command structure that discouraged low-altitude operations, which eventually pushed the Bronco out of US military service.