Photo by Max Haynes - MaxAir2Air.com

History: A one-of-a-kind design, the OV-1 was the first turboprop plane to enter US Army service. It was finally retired as late as 1996, and is one of the most modern warbird in the hands of collectors.

The OV-1 was built as a joint US Army and Marine Corps project for a modern battlefield surveillance aircraft. The Marine Corps pulled out of the project before their prototype could be built, but the US Army began placing its orders late in 1959 for the OV-1A and OV-1B. The -1A and -1B differed in that the -1B variant had an 18 foot side-looking radar mounted under the fuselage and offset to the right. The OV-1B also had an internal camera with in-flight processor and an increased wingspan to cope with the extra equipment. While the plane was slow, its huge triple finned tail and engines mounted on top of the wings gave the Mohawk great maneuverability. To protect against small arms fire from the battlefields over which it kept a watchful eye, the cockpit was armored with an aluminum-alloy floor, flak curtains and bullet-resistant windows.

Experience in Vietnam soon showed that the policy of operating reconnaissance aircraft unarmed was not always wise. In response, a new variant, the JOV-1A, was built with four underwing hard-points for guns and rockets. The OV-1C followed and was similar to the OV-1A, but was equipped to use the new infra-red surveillance systems. The final production version, the OV-1D, had side-loading doors for mounting a variety of electronic intelligence equipment. These served over the Cold War battle lines of Europe with great success.

There are examples of each Mohawk variant still airworthy, and they continue to see active service in Argentina. Over its production run, 375 Mohawks of all types were built.  

Nicknames: Whispering Death (Vietcong nickname)

Specifications (OV-1D):
        Engines: Two 1,400-hp Avco Lycoming T53-L-701 turboprops
        Weight: Empty 12,054 lbs., Max Takeoff 18,900 lbs.
        Wing Span: 48ft. 0in.
        Length: 41ft. 0in.
        Height: 12ft. 8in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 370 Knots
            Range: 1,011 miles
        Armament: None

Number Built: 375

Number Still Airworthy: Approximately 10

Cockpit Photo:

(Click for Larger)

Links:
Air Heritage, Inc. OV-1 Page -- Beaver Falls, PA, USA
OV-1.com -- A history of the OV-1 in Vietnam from 1962 to 1972.
OV-1 Mohawk Association
The OV-1 Mohawk Page

OV-1 Mohawk
By Peter Michas
 

[Back to Warbird Alley's Main Page]

All text and photos Copyright 2016 The Doublestar Group, unless otherwise noted.
You may use this page for your own, non-commercial reference purposes only.