In the early '60s, there was a requirement from all US Armed Services for a Light Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA). The aircraft should also be able to perform the function as a COIN (COunter INsurgency) aircraft as well. This meant that it needed to be able to carry a variety of ordnace in addition to having internal guns. It should also be easy to maintain and equally easy to fly. North American's entry into the field was what was eventually to become the OV-10 'Bronco'.

It is powered by two small turboprops, has four 20mm cannon in a short weapons pod and is also capable of handling various ordnance including 2.75 and 5 inch rocket pods, 1,000 bombs, marker rockets and Sidewinder missiles for self defense. There is an aft cargo area that can handle two stretchers or five fully equipped troops. 

The OV-10 was first introduced in the last few years of the Vietnam War as a replacement FAC (Forward Air Controller) to replace the Cessna O-2A. It was an instant success as it was armed, better protected and faster than the O-2. It was also used by several Marine Corps Squadrons and by one (perhaps two) Navy squadrons as well. After the end of the war, the OV-10 was still in use by regular USAF squadrons in both the US and overseas. It is one of the few aircraft that was not used by the USAF Air National Guard, those units getting the OA-37B instead. The final USAF OV-10 was retired in the late 1980s with the last USMC versions being retired in the early 1990s.

Until this kit appeared, there were only two other OV-10s in 1/72 scale, that from Airfix and another from Hasegawa. Both are not new kits, first seeing the light of day in the late 1960s shortly after the aircraft appeared in service. The Airfix kit was later modified to OV-10D NOGS with the longer nose, FLIR pod and belly cannon. The Academy kit may look somewhat like those earlier kits, but is in all effect a new tool. It is completely modernized with engraved panel lines and super detail on the rest of the model. There is a full load of ordnance available for the kit and there is an indication that there is an OV-10D in the works as some of the sprues are marked as such and there are cutouts for the addition of chaff dispensers. In addition, the modeler needs to cut away some later addition antennas to do the early versions that are offered with this kit.

The instructions are very good showing colors where needed as well as what needs to be done to do either an air force or marine version. Colors are generic other than for the exterior camouflage which gives FS numbers. Something I need to research is that the instructions call for insignia white wheel wells and I recall seeing OV-10s with chromate yellow wells. I should have a slide of that somewhere in my collection.

Decals are given for both a USAF and USMC OV-10A. The USAF version is from the 20th TASS at DaNang, South Vietnam in 1969. It is painted an overall ADC grey FS 16473 with a white upper wing. It also has a shark mouth to add some interest. The other is a HML-267 OV-10A from Camp Pendleton, CA in 1970. It is FS 34097 green upper with FS16440 light gull grey undersides and a white upper wing. The reason for the white upper wing is so that the strike group could spot the aircraft against the ground so have an idea of where to place their ordnance. In addition to the kit decals, which look very nicely done, there are a few old Microscale sheets of the OV-10 that may still be around.

Overall, it looks like a very nice kit. Probably the only difficulty will be finding where to stuff the nose weight to keep it from tail-sitting!

Review kit courtesy of me and my wallet!

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