Grumman OV-1 Mohawk

During a recent trip to KANE which is Anoka Co Blaine airport just north of MSP I came across a fleet of these strange flying machines being prepared for a weekend gathering of aircraft enthusiasts.  There were three all in a row in airworthy condition parked in front with another 5 to 6 parked out back with pieces missing.  I noticed a three tail design and large bubble shaped windows, honestly it reminded me of a gigantic bug.  I could tell like many  the aircraft was used in the military because of the familiar "NAVY GREY" paint and large US lettering on the aft fuselage.  Wanting to learn more we approached a gentleman who was walking from the tent seen in the picture.  For the next 20 minutes we were not at all dissapointed we heard the great need for the Mohawk during the Vietnam war and its amazing capabilities.

The OV-1 Mohawk was used from the Vietnam war up through Operation Desert Storm.  It's tapered non swept wing design meant the aircraft had STOL (short takeoff and landing) capabilities.  The bubble shaped bullet proof windows were a visual enhancement for the pilots to spot enemy troops below.  Two giantic turbo prop engines producing 1000 horsepower a piece powered this aircraft for its mostly low altitude flying, because of this the cockpit was also armored for the crew.  The US Army and US Marine Corps both utilized the Mohawk mostly for survelliance which came in extremely useful during night operations by using infared cameras.  One example of the Mohawk was spotting Vietnamese soldiers at night transporting supplies down the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Vietnam war.  The Mohawk crew could then radio in air strikes with exact lat and lon coordinates, which was a very beneficial tool during the conflict.

What a great day and a great experience to walk around and view an accomplished but odd looking military aircraft.  It was amazing to see these Mohawks in the wonderful condition they were in.  Dedication to the project must of been incredible by all that were involved to keep these aircraft in airworthy condition.  Thank you to the many people involved in these projects all over the world it makes airplane geeks like myself very happy.

Travis