Calling Covey! Update on the OV-10A Bronco

Hey team,

Of all the vehicles coming to Nickel Steel soon, one stands out to me personally as an iconic and quintessential piece of SOG history: The OV-10A Bronco. This is one of the most versatile and unique airframes I've ever seen in Arma - and as a player, I am totally stoked to take this thing out on missions.

Sweet photo recreation shot by Noel!

We're thrilled to announce the OV-10A Bronco is in the exciting final stages of bug squashing and polishing, thanks to some incredible work from the team! LeroyCake has absolutely crushed a huge list of 3D mesh and texture fixes for the cockpit and fuselage, which Apollo has masterfully integrated while bringing the instrument animations to life. Dennis brought some powerful sounds to the airframe, Snoops dialed in the weapon loadouts (the more dinky dau pilots can even mount 5x miniguns on this thing), and Rob is adding the final touches to the new aircrew equipment! The finish line is in sight.

While the front-seater-back-seater arrangement was apparently unpopular with many pilots and recon men due to its making coordination and interaction between Covey Pilot and Covey Rider more difficult than the side-by-side seating of the O-2A (see Tilt's SOGCast 053 w/ Covey Pilot Gary Green for incredible insight into the dynamics of flying Covey), the OV-10A brought game-changing capabilities for Prairie Fire missions like carrying 4x M60 machine guns and other ordinance, faster speed, unique cargo capacity, ejection seats, and even the ability to carry and drop a small team of paratroopers (Airborne!). Having the ability to expend ordinance organically as soon as a Covey bird arrived on station, whether fast movers or A-1 Spads were available or not, made a critical difference for many recon teams in Prairie Fire emergencies. Covey Pilot Ray Belz told me he would write all over the inside of the canopy glass, using it as his personal mission note workspace. Now, I wouldn't exactly advise writing on your monitor screen, but hey, you do you...that would be some serious dedication to the mission.

Mike Cryer's OV-10A livery in-game

We are proud to feature a special livery for the OV-10A: a recreation of Mike Cryer's aircraft flown in support of many SOG missions, including the 29 January 1971 Dual Prairie Fire emergency of RT Hawaii and RT Colorado. Mike supported our team's development of this aircraft and we hope you'll remember his and all Covey FACs' service when you see this livery in-game. If you'd like to learn more about Mike and his service in support of SOG, please check out our friend Bud Gibson's The Reconnaissance Cast Interview With 20th TASS FAC Lt. Mike "ELF" Cryer (PRAIRIE FIRE FAC). We hope to also eventually host a podcast with Mike on our channel as well.

I'm sure I can't be the only madlad who can't wait to play "super duper paratrooper" with the Bronco!

The passion the team brought to this project is immediately apparent upon sitting in the cockpit. This thing has been masterfully brought to life with meticulous precision and gorgeous detail. It's serious eyecandy to just sit inside and admire the carefully-configured instruments, cables, canopy, seats, control surfaces...it all comes together incredibly harmoniously.

LeroyCake renders out the interior of the OV-10A. Stunning.

Sunset on Dong Giang - beautiful

Great shots by Walsh on Dong Giang

Is this a render or a historical photograph? - thanks LeroyCake!

Render by LeroyCake

Thanks to all who have worked hard to bring this thing to life - I would personally call it a masterpiece! Much love, y'all, and have a safe week.

Sky Soldiers!

~Sam