# OV-1 Mohawk



## Chief (Jan 11, 2007)

could you guys give some information on the the OV-1 Mohawk, I would also like your opinions on it.

My father was flew Reconnaissance Photographer and was assigned to unit in alask during vietnam. 
I heard it was a good at the time. I want your opinions.

Note it was his unit that spotted the missles in Russia. At least that's what he told me.


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 11, 2007)

The Mohawk was widely used in Vietnam and was also used by US customs. In Vietnam enlisted men flew as observers in this aircraft. It carried a wide array of electronic and weapons. I read somewhere that a Mohawk shot down a Mig-17 while in Vietnam.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 11, 2007)

The Mohawks were still used in the 90s as well. I used to be around them all the time in the late 80s and early 90s. At the airfield that my dad flew Hueys out of there was a Military Intel unit that had Mohawks. I got to sit in one one time. I will have to see if I can find the pics somewhere. I dont know where they are at.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Matt308 (Jan 11, 2007)

Didn't they use them with a side looking radar canoe slung underneath as sort of a poorman's J-STARS aircraft for battlefield management?


----------



## CharlesBronson (Jan 11, 2007)

> Didn't they use them with a side looking radar canoe slung underneath as sort of a poorman's J-STARS aircraft for battlefield management?



They have, it is a SLAR .





















Argentinean Mohawks

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Chief (Jan 11, 2007)

My father said that he loved it. Said it was quite maneuverable and had plenty of power. But, he was uncomfortable, being in the secondary seat with the electronics. They way they had it set up if you had to punch out you would break both your legs.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 12, 2007)

Better to break both legs than burn up in the wreckage.


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 12, 2007)

If I'm not mistaken I think when you punch out of the Mohawk you went right through the canopy.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 12, 2007)

Not sure on that. I remember sitting in the ejection seat and wondering how it worked though when I was a kid.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 12, 2007)

how do you mean go through the canopy? do you mean it wasn't blown off first and you literally broke the canopy on your way out yourself? surely not?


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 12, 2007)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> how do you mean go through the canopy? do you mean it wasn't blown off first and you literally broke the canopy on your way out yourself? surely not?


Yes - the S-3A is (was) like that two although it did have a squib that disloged the canopy, but the seat went right through it.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 12, 2007)

There is like a long rod that penetrates the canopy as you go through. It shoots up above the ejection seat.

I think the Prowlers and Intruders were like that as well. I believe later they were changed though.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 12, 2007)

I think you're right Chris...


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 13, 2007)

this's got me thinking, from pulling the cord how long does the ejection proceedure take from an attack helicopter? i know some you can eject from because the rotor blades are blown off but this must take a little longer than ejecting from a conventional aircraft? and does anyone have a video of an ejection from a starfighter, you know, ejecting underneath?


----------



## Matt308 (Jan 13, 2007)

or a Tu-22. Same thing.

FBJ, in the "through the plexiglass" scenario, doesn't the crew reach up and pull handles on each side of their head pulling some sort of protective device over their heads? Seems like I read that somewhere as part of an airplanes ejection sequence.


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 13, 2007)

Matt308 said:


> or a Tu-22. Same thing.
> 
> FBJ, in the "through the plexiglass" scenario, doesn't the crew reach up and pull handles on each side of their head pulling some sort of protective device over their heads? Seems like I read that somewhere as part of an airplanes ejection sequence.


I believe so - they pull "the curtain," but found out there was a provision to jettison the canopy.

*"The rather bug shaped Mohawk was equipped with large plexiglas overhead panels, which were intended to be jettisioned prior to ejection. In case of failure of the jettison system, or in cases where time did not permit, the seat was designed to penetrate the canopy itself."*
Here's a great site...

http://www.ejectionsite.com/

Check this out!






and...

http://www.ejectionsite.com/frame_sg.htm

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 13, 2007)

that's an interesting site but really needs a list of aircraft and the seats used in them, last i heard Martin-Baker had a 75% share of the worldwide egression and pilot safety systems market it'd be interesting to know if that's changed in the last few years.............


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 13, 2007)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> that's an interesting site but really needs a list of aircraft and the seats used in them, last i heard Martin-Baker had a 75% share of the worldwide egression and pilot safety systems market it'd be interesting to know if that's changed in the last few years.............


On that site, did you go to the "seat gallery?" They have each seat listed by aircraft...


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 13, 2007)

well blow me down, so they do


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 13, 2007)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> this's got me thinking, from pulling the cord how long does the ejection proceedure take from an attack helicopter? i know some you can eject from because the rotor blades are blown off but this must take a little longer than ejecting from a conventional aircraft? and does anyone have a video of an ejection from a starfighter, you know, ejecting underneath?



As far as I know the only ones who actually deployed a helictoper with ejection seat was the Russians and I am not even sure of that.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 13, 2007)

Yeap just looked that up and the Russians are the only ones to have actually put into service helictopers with ejection seats in the Ka-50 helicopter.

The US Army did testing with the AH-1 Cobra but it was never developed.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## mkloby (Jan 13, 2007)

I remember reading that too chris.


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 14, 2007)

thanks for the info, i'm gonna assume no one has an idea how long it all takes then?


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 14, 2007)

Nope


----------



## mkloby (Jan 14, 2007)

Is there a charge that blows the rotor blades off??


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 14, 2007)

From my undestanding yes. Basically it is like the squibs that are on ejector racks or cargo hooks to emergency jettison the stores or external loads that jettisons the blades.


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 17, 2007)

yes i've always known it to be blowing off the rotor blades, seems devilishly simple when you think about it


----------



## jhansen (Jan 21, 2007)

ok for the record. The OV-1D Mohawk ejection seat would bust thru the canopy or you could twist a handle located just infront of the overhead circuit breaker panel to "blow" the canopy away. All that it really did was to "pop" the canopy into the slip stream and the airflow would carry it away. We flew on Martin-Baker seats (0/60) and I trusted them with my life. I have over 1100 hours in the right seat of Mohawk. 1980-1992. Ft Hood with A Co, 15th MI, R.O.K. with A Co, 3rd MI (twice) and the school house at Ft Huachuca, Az. The comment about "breaking your legs" going out..do your research before you say something like that.

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Chief (Jan 22, 2007)

I got it from my father who flew in them for recon in alaska. Because of the Recon equipment a bar extended over the Knees. That's what he said, of course I could've heard wrong though I don't know what else sounds like,"_Could break your legs_".


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 22, 2007)

Great info jhansen....

I think it could be said that any ejection is an injury risked. I worked with several pilots who flew in Vietnam, 3 of them ejected from aircraft (one 4 times!) and they all had some kind of injury, either in their back or legs. There is no denying the effectiveness of today's ejection seats but there's a good chance if you punch out you're not escaping Scott-free!

Then you have those two Russian pilots who collided during an airshow. As one of them came down and got out of his harness he casually lit a cigarette as he watched both aircraft burn!

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Chief (Jan 22, 2007)

Even with charges set on the rotter-blades connecting joint there's still something about ejecting out of an aircraft with spinning metal blades directly over head.


----------



## fjray (Jan 22, 2007)

I saw the topic and told JH he otta chime in on the OV-1 since I knew he had Mohawk time. We had the same seat, ESCAPAC, in the S-3's. Biggest thing we had drummed into us was keep your thighs flat on the seat pan. Based on info from previous ejections just a half inch of clearance could snap your femur like a toothpick. Going thru the canopy wasn't the problem. Shoot, we had a input tray across our laps that was a much bigger concern!

On the Intruder, originally crews were to jettison the canopy then punch out. Problem was the canopy wouldn't blow clean. Instead it came about half way back and crews were nailing the front of it. So, they basically said screw it we'll just go thru the plexiglass instead of plexi and metal. Prowler's have a different canopy and haven't had the same problems.

Have to admit, punching out of a helo just doesn't sound like much fun.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 22, 2007)

fjray said:


> Have to admit, punching out of a helo just doesn't sound like much fun.



I agree. We always knew that if the bird was going down, we were riding it in. But then again as long as we had our blades, we could still autorotate. Honestly I would feel much more safer doing that anyway then ejecting or tying to jump from her.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 23, 2007)

can you elaborate on the autorotate please


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 23, 2007)

We autorotate when we lose our engine or engines (in the case of the blackhawk) and you no longer have power from them. Basically what happens is the wind passing through the blades keeps them spinning and the aircraft basically descends to the ground.

The pilot can control the descent with his collective and cyclic. The collective should be lowered full down. The pilot wants to try and keep the aircraft between 60 and 80 knots (we trained at 80 knots) and a descent of about 1000ft per minute.

Once the aircraft is near the ground the pilot flares the helicopter by using aft cyclic which slows the decent and allows the aircraft to land. Collective can be used to cushion the landing.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 26, 2007)

thanks for the explaination, so what other aircrew safety proceedures/equiptment did you have?


----------



## Matt308 (Jan 26, 2007)

Got a few weeks...


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 26, 2007)

plenty, Mr. Reaper wont come for me for a good 30 years after visiting you


----------



## Matt308 (Jan 26, 2007)

Probably true. He'll be too busy begging Satan to just go ahead and take my soul off his hands.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 26, 2007)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> thanks for the explaination, so what other aircrew safety proceedures/equiptment did you have?



Well there are the emergency procedures which I could copy out of my check list but I wont because it is too long and I am sure you can find them online somehwere.

Safety Equipment:

ALSE Vest (flight vest with survival equipment in it form knives to water and food, first aid kit, fishing kit, and signal equipment such as mirror, flares and also fire starting equipment and water purifiers.

Crash Ax

First Aid Kits

Fire Extinguishers

ALSE Kit (survival kit with eneogh stuff for the crew to survive for 3 days including tents, food, water, etc...)

Emergency Door Jettisons

Emergency Window Jettisons

The list could go on and on...

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Chief (Jan 26, 2007)

Don't they issue some sort of sidearm or small-arm weapon for self-defense in case of a hostile encounter.


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 27, 2007)

> ALSE Kit



Thanks Adler, so where is this ket kept on board?


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 27, 2007)

Chief said:


> Don't they issue some sort of sidearm or small-arm weapon for self-defense in case of a hostile encounter.



Ofcourse a 9mm, but that is only carried in war time and not really safety equipment.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 27, 2007)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> Thanks Adler, so where is this ket kept on board?



Depends on the aircraft. It was either kept between the Crew Chief seats or in a special compartment in the cabin. It all depended on the load and what equipment was being carried. Standardized was between the crew seats but with certain equipment that we had to carry in combat, it went into the compartment.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 27, 2007)

thanks............


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 27, 2007)

No prob, any time.


----------



## R-2800 (Jan 29, 2007)

a Mohawk is parked at our airport right now,the guy that flew it in just left it there with oanother aircraft too, and no one has seen him since


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 29, 2007)

Cool, I did not know that there were civilian Mohawks.


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Jan 29, 2007)

I believe US Customes were operating them witn "N" numbers...


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jan 29, 2007)

Okay that I have heard about. I was thinking pure Civilian though. Thanks.


----------



## R-2800 (Jan 30, 2007)

their privetly owned and operated,but he is part of some warbird place that always him to fly them or something


----------

