The Georgia Army National Guard Aviation Museum,
Inc.
The general purpose of the museum is to educate
the public about military aviation in Georgia,
to preserve and promote the history of aviation, focusing on aircraft
stationed in Georgia
and
operated by the National Guard and Reserves.
BREAKING NEWS
Video:
US ARMY OV-1 Mohawk FLYS
A 360 OVERHEAD!
Army Mohawk 631 arrives
back in Georgia
after traveling full circle.
Dateline: Atlanta,
GA, August 17, 2011.
Spanning three decades, the Georgia Army National
Guard flew OV-1 Mohawks as part of its combat support mission. Dozens
of OV-1B, C, and D model aircraft were based at the Army Aviation Support
Facility in Winder, GA, and at Dobbins AFB, Marietta. Georgia had two of the few units
flying this tough high performance aircraft.
The Georgia National Guard was rightly proud of its
role in Army Aviation. Georgia
Mohawks flew missions ranging from surveillance training to spotting drug
runners off the AtlanticCoast from Miami to Charleston and the GulfCoast from New
Orleans to Tampa. The
Georgia National Guard
received a presidential unit citation when Georgia Guardsmen flying
OV-1 Mohawks from Winder and Dobbins teamed
together to locate a record setting drug laden mother ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mohawks are ejection seat equipped, two man
turboprop fixed wing aircraft. They were initially deployed to South Vietnam
in 1962 and served throughout the entire conflict. The Mohawk was used for
visual and photographic reconnaissance with great success due to the
aircraft's speed and quiet turbo-prop engines. The aircraft was also utilized
with success in the light attack role when armed with 2.75 inch rockets and
.50 caliber machine guns. In late 1966, an armed OV-1A of the 131st S.A.C.
shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MIG-17 over North Vietnam. The Mohawk
was removed from Army service in 1996 with the last Mohawk unit being the
224th Military Intelligence Battalion based at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.
The first OV-1C Mohawk arrived in Georgia in January, 1970.
The last OV-1D left Dobbins in 1993. Now one of these unique war birds
has returned to its nest here in Georgia, OV-1B Mohawk Serial No.
59-2631.
The U.S.
Army accepted 631 in October, 1962. It went directly to the 503RD AVN
BN of the 3RD Armored Div. based in West Germany. The "B"
model Mohawk was produced to utilize the Army's new Side Looking Airborne
Radar (SLAR) mounted externally to the aircraft in an 18 foot pod. The SLAR
provided a film record of ground radar images of moving targets on both sides
of the aircraft's flight path at night and in bad weather. This system
was used successfully in patrolling the West German border and in Vietnam.
It also came in handy tracking drug freighters off the AtlanticCoast and in the Gulf
of Mexico.
A total of 90 OV-1Bs were built. This
aircraft is the last known “B” model flying. 631 came to Georgia
in 1978 and was assigned to the GA Army National Guard’s 158th MI CO
based at Winder, GA. The “B” model Mohawk served with GA Army
National Guard until 1985. Since then it has traveled many miles. Here is but
a brief history of its Georgia
ties after leaving Winder.
1985-1986: ArmyAviationMuseum;
Ft. Rucker, AL,
1986-1999: Private Ownership,
1999 to 2010: Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.
This particular Mohawk was a major air show
attraction with the “Sky Soldier Demonstration Team”, for almost
ten (10) years thrilling millions of air show attendees.
On August 17, 2011, at 11:00am 631 will arrive back
in Georgia.
It will first land at Dobbins ARB, for a brief welcoming ceremony at the Army
Aviation Support Facility. At 12:30, 631 will perform a brief flyover
of the Dobbins Runway then depart for its permanent home in Winder, GA.
It will arrive at Winder at 1:30 for another welcoming ceremony. There
it will be part of the newly formed Georgia Army National Guard Aviation
Museum, Inc. When it arrives in Winder, 631 will have flown full circle
since 1978.
If you’d like more information or if you
would like to attend the welcoming ceremony at either Dobbins or Winder,
please contact Ed Bearden, President GANGAM at 678-428-8221,
beardenedATbellsouth.net.
