Grumman OV-1C Mohawk
The Mohawk is a tactical reconnaissance and battlefield observation aircraft designed to replace the L-19 and other light observation aircraft in use by the U.S. Army in the late 1950s. From its first flight in 1959, the OV-1 proved to have exactly the combination of speed, maneuverability, and range that the Army was looking for. The OV-1 began entering service in 1961 and by the end of 1962 they had begun to appear in Vietnam. Different versions of the Mohawk were designed to carry different types of equipment. The “C” models, like the one in the museum’s collection carried cameras and infra-red sensors. Mohawks served in the U.S. Army until 1996, when the last of them were retired.