North American Aviation NA-300/OV-10

Two place (pilot and weapons officer or observer) seated in-line, twin engine, twin boomed Light Armed Recon and Attack (LARA) contract winner. The original YOV-10A mock up has been fully restored and is on display in the OV-10 Assn museum at Meacham Field just North of Fort Worth, TX off I-35W. The LARA mockup and the initial OV-10A aircraft had 30' wing spans, which were lengthened to 40' in the B through D+ models.

Designed to serve in a Tri-Service (Navy/Marine/Air Force) role, the OV-10 provided an excellent platform for these
users to conduct forward air control, ground support, and light attack in support of ground troops, off shore ship and
land based artillery fire control, and interdiction utilizing 2.75" and 5" unguided (Zuni) rockets, .30 & .50 cal sponson mounted machine guns, and/or articulated 20mm three-barreled M-197 Gatling Gun or centerline mounted cannon.   .

The evolution of weapons brought enhanced delivery capability to the OV-10D, D SLEP (Service Life Extension
Program) and designated D+NOS (NOGs, Night Operational Gunship prototype and eventual NOS, Night Operations
Ship). Hellfire and AIM-9 intelligent weapons were then mounted from wing hard points.

One power system upgrade increased engine power by 30% and original round tip aluminum props were changed to stronger and lighter square tipped fiber glass. Maximum level airspeed for the OV-10D+ was 287 mph.