DEFENDERS OF AMERICA from National Biscuit Company: U. S. ARMY MOHAWK TURBO-PROP AIRPLANE

This is card number 23 in the National Biscuit Company's (Nabisco) 1959 trading card series, Defenders of America. As I've said before, I do not have the complete series, just a few random cards.




Click on either image to see it larger.

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk is an armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and light strike capabilities. It is of twin turboprop configuration, and carried two crew members with side by side seating. The Mohawk was intended to operate from short, unimproved runways in support of United States Army maneuver forces

Development

The Mohawk began as a joint Army-Marine program through the then-Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer), for an observation/attack plane that would outperform the Cessna L-19 Bird Dog. In June 1956, the Army issued Type Specificationn TS145, which called for the development and procurement of a two-seat, twin turboprop aircraft designed to operate from small, unimproved fields under all weather conditions. It would be faster, with greater firepower, and heavier armour than the Bird Dog, which had proved vulnerable during the Korean War. The Mohawk's mission would include observation, artillery spotting, air control, emergency resupply, naval target spotting, liaison, and radiological monitoring. The Navy specified that the aircraft must be capable of operating from small "jeep" escort class carriers (CVEs). The DoD selected Grumman Aircraft Corporation's G-134 design as the winner of the competition in 1957. Marine requirements contributed an unusual feature to the design. As originally proposed, the OF-1 could be fitted with water skis that would allow the aircraft to land at sea and taxi to island beaches at 20 kts. Since the Marines were authorized to operate fixed wing aircraft in the close air support (CAS) role, the mockup also featured underwing pylons for rockets, bombs, and other stores.

The Air Force did not like the armament capability of the Mohawk and tried to get it removed. The Marines did not want the sophisticated sensors the Army wanted, so when their Navy sponsors opted to buy a fleet oil tanker, they dropped from the program. The Army continued with armed Mohawks and developed cargo pods that could be dropped from underwing hard points to resupply troops in emergencies.

The radar imaging capability of the Mohawk was to prove a significant advance in both peace and war. The SLAR could look through foliage and map terrain, presenting the observer with a film image of the earth below only minutes after the area was scanned. In military operations, the image was split in two parts, one showing fixed terrain features, the other spotting moving targets.

The prototype (YAO-1AF) first flew on April 14, 1959. The OV-1 entered production in October 1959.

General characteristics

• Crew: Two: pilot, observer

• Length: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)

• Wingspan: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)

• Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m)

• Wing area: 360 ft² (33.45 m²)

• Empty weight: 12,054 lb (5,467 kg)

• Loaded weight: 15,544 lb (7,051 kg) (Normal take-off weight, IR mission)

• Max. takeoff weight: 18,109 lb (8,214 kg) (SLAR mission)

• Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming T53-L-701 turboprops, 1,400 shp (1,044 kW) each

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 450 mph (390 knots, 724 km/h)

• Maximum speed: 305 mph (265 knots, 491 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) (IR mission)

• Cruise speed: 207 mph (180 knots, 334 km/h) (econ cruise)

• Stall speed: 84 mph (73 knots, 135 km/h)

• Range: 944 mi (820 nmi, 1,520 km) (SLAR mission)

• Service ceiling:
25,000 ft (7,620 m)

• Rate of climb:
3,450 ft/min (17.5 m/s)

(SOURCE: Wikipedia)



Next time...U. S. Army Hawk Missile