OV-10A Bronco US Marine Corps

OV-10A Bronco US Marine Corps
Here we look at the latest offering of the ICM 1/48th scale OV-10A Bronco US Marine Corps.

Introduction

The following introduction is as supplied by ICM:

The first prototype of OV-10A Bronco raised into the air in July 1965. After flight tests, the aircraft entered serial production. The US Air Force ordered 109 aircrafts, and the US Marine Corps – another 76.

After the war in Vietnam, the aircraft remained in service with aviation units and were modernized over time. The Marine Corps OV-10A received a digital threat warning system AN/APR-39, which monitors the surrounding environment for the presence of radar signals and warns the crew about dangerous sources of radiation. In addition, the AN/ALQ-144 Infrared Jammer “Disco Light” and the AN/ALE-39 Counter Measure Dispenser System were installed on these aircraft. Aircrafts, equipped in this way, took part in the operation “Desert Storm” in the winter of 1991. This operation was the last episode of combat use of the OV-10 Bronco aircraft in the US Marine Corps aviation, and in 1994 they were finally withdrawn from its combat composition.

First Impressions

ICM has released the next of its OV-10A Bronco’s with a US Marine Corps version being released. This example is packed in the usual method and I am pleased to say no obvious issues jump out at me. As a very large number of OV-10A Bronco’s have been released I do not intend to cover this kit in depth and so I will go heavier on the photographs.

The finishing options for this release are:

OV-10A 155434, US Marine Corps, 1987

OV-10A 155434, Marine Observation Squadron 1 (VMO-1), Spring 1990

OV-10A 155454, Marine Observation Squadron 2 (VMO-2), Summer 1990

OV-10A 155465, Marine Observation Squadron 1 (VMO-1), Saudi Arabia, 1991

OV-10A-155434, US Marine Corps, 1991