Grumman OV-1C (Mohawk)

Type: US Army battlefield surveillance aircraft

Crew: Two

Wingspan: 48' Length: 41'1"

Gross Weight: 12,900 pounds

Power Plant: Two 1,150 HP Lycoming T-53-L-15 Turboprop

Maximum Speed: 305 mph

Service Ceiling: 25,000'

Armament: Normally flown unarmed, but could be fitted with light rockets and machine guns for attack

Narrative
The Mohawk was the first turboprop-powered aircraft to enter operational service with the US Army, beginning in 1961. It was originally developed as a joint service observation and attach aircraft, capable of operating from short, unimproved airfields.

After the Marine Corps backed out of the project in the late 1950s, the Mohawk's attack requirements were minimized. Loaded with electronics and surveillance cameras, Mohawks saw extensive service in Vietnam starting in September, 1962. The OV-1C was the third in the Mohawk series, and was intended for infrared battlefield reconnaissance.

The OV-1C on display is painted in the markings of a Mohawk assigned to the US Army's 1st Infantry Division, based at Phu Loi; Vietnam in 1967. It was acquired by the museum in 1989 through the New York State Office of General Services.