Subject: OV-10 BUNO 155472 Black Pony Nose #107
	Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 11:55:48 -0700
	From: Kit Lavell 
	To: Bob Peetz 	

	Bob,


	When you update the web site please create a link to the Carolinas Aviation Museum
	Dean S. Demmery, Acquisitions Chairman for the museum has informed
	me that OV-10 BUNO 155472 (VAL-4 side number 107) was successfully
	recovered from Cherry Point MCAS on 26 June and transported to the
	Carolinas Aviation Museum.  They plan to have the Bronco reassembled before
	Labor Day.  155472 had long ago been converted to a "D" model.  As far as
	the OV-10's paint job for display in the museum, Dean Demmery says, "My
	vote would be to return it to its green and gray and perhaps paint one side
	in VAL 4 markings and the other side in Marine markings, to try and please
	everyone."


	155472 was the Bronco in which Lt. Pete Russell was killed on a combat
	mission supporting two river patrol boats 20 miles southwest of Rach Gia on
	25 May 1969.  Lt.j.g. Jeff Johnson flew the Bronco home to Bin Thuy.

	I am sure that every Black Pony pilot has flown this aircraft at one time
	or another.  Jim Arthur and I flew it to Cubi then to Taiwan on what was
	the last flight of a Navy OV-10, after the squadron was decommissioned (I
	have attached a photo of what it looked like in its final Black Pony days.
	That's me standing next to it).Kit And 155472


	The museum was founded in 1992 as the Carolinas Historic Aviation
	Commission (CHAC) and is a nonprofit corporation. It receives no tax money,
	and is supported solely by membership dues, fund-raisers, the gift shop and
	other donations. Aircraft on display are owned by CHAC or are on exhibit by
	agreement with private owners and government agencies. They are housed in
	the original hangar that was built in 1936 for the then Morris Field, later
	to become the Charlotte Douglas Airport. The museum is in the early stages
	of a five-year plan to become a major museum such as the San Diego
	Aerospace Museum is now.  They display twenty-five planes, four of them
	flyable: a Piedmont DC-3 airliner, two OV-1D Mohawks, and an AN-2 Russian
	built Biplane transport.  All four of these attend air shows all summer.
	All the rest are static displays in various stages of restoration.   Museum
	workers are an all volunteer group, no paid staff, with about 1,800 members.


	CHAC draws around 1,200 visitors a month through the museum, a large
	number considering they have not really advertised.  However, they do have
	a weekly half-hour televised show on the local public broadcasting station.


	Demmery's recovery crew has tripled the museum's collection of aircraft
	over the last 18 months.   The Bronco was the last remaining ship to be
	picked up on their current list (along with a Skystreak).  They plan to
	concentrate on getting what they possess restored before actively pursuing
	addition aircraft.  They have the following craft in their collection:
	2-T-33s, F-102A, F-101F, F-84G, P-80C, A7E, HOK-1, HO3-1 dragonfly, DASH
	Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter, F-86D, WACO WW II glider frame, Link
	trainer, T2A Buckeye, Skycat Tilt Rotor, Mini Mustang, Regulas 1 cruise
	missile, Honest John Surface to surface missile, TM-61 Matador missile,
	Falcon missile, CH-34C Choctaw helicopter, 2-UH1D Hueys, a T-28B trainer,
	A4D Skyhawk, a Mercury Space capsule mockup, a Bellanca airline single 5
	cyl engine three seater that flew out of our hangar in the early forties,
	and several different piston and turbo jet engines.


	So the Bronco will be in good company.  It is in very good condition, with
	only the nose tire flat and the pitot tube bent.  Most of the instruments
	are there.  It is painted non-spec gray with Marine VMO-2 markings. Cherry
	Point is located about 325 miles NE from Charlotte, so it was quite a task
	to work on the Bronco and eventually truck it to the museum. The Marines
	are very supportive of the museum's efforts to restore the Bronco and
	helicopters that are assigned to the museum. The Bronco will make seven
	aircraft that the Marines have loaned the museum.


	There is not a whole lot of work that needs to be done to the Bronco, now
	that it has been transferred and ready to be reassembled. The OV-10
	Association (already linked to the Black Pony web site, and now with Black
	Pony Tim Sikorski on the board of directors) has been very supportive of
	the museum.  The OV-10 Association assisted in the recovery, as Dean
	Demmery said they didn't have a clue as to how to take a Bronco apart.  The
	OV-10 Association loaned and donated tech manuals, drawings, and have put
	the museum in contact with experts in the North Carolina area to assist them.


	I look forward to visiting the museum sometime in the future.  The folks
	who run it are a great bunch of guys and deserve a lot of credit for their
	role in preserving and sharing our nation's aviation heritage.  And who
	knows?  Maybe we could schedule a future reunion there.


	Fair winds,
	Kit


	Bill Pippin Visited The Museum Site And Reports:

	   I went out to the museum today to see the aircraft. As you can
	probably imagine, it looked pretty rough. These guys out here love these
	planes though, one and all. I downloaded the techrep. info. off the
	website and I'm going to try and get some pictures together that have
	enough details to at least give them an idea of what the plane looked
	like.
	    Of course, most of my pictures that I have left, are of ordnance. It
	came in with three fuel tanks(one on each wing rack-I bet that looked
	strange), a front flat with totally destroyed front wheel
	bearings/races, almost all instrumentation, and it had been converted to
	a D model. The guys had removed the flir turret...I assume thats the
	correct nomenclature. It looks like the one on the NOGS OV's from what I
	remember, but no gun...night observation only I guess.
	      I like the idea myself, about painting on side in VAL-4 markings
	and the other in Marine. I thought it had been purchased, but its only
	on loan; however, the date of return has been extended to 2005, I
	believe I was told.
	       So, there you go. I'm on my way to get a roll of film and head
	back out there to take some shots of her. If you'd like copies, let me
	know and I'll be more than happy to get them to you. Take care.

                                                           Bill Pippin

	He Also Took Some Pictures Of #107 - Here Is What He Saw:

	OK Bob,
	   I think I've got it. Here, hopefully, are four pictures of Aircraft
	#107 which is now a D model. It flew in the Gulf War by the way.
	Although removed, a FLIR pod is mounted under the nose-chin, not too
	unlike the Marine NOGS OVs, only without the gatling gun.
	    Bill Pippin