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The Marines deployed VMO-6 to Quang Tri in November 1968. VMO-6, called the Tomcats and using the tail code WB, was based at MCAS Futenma, Japan until deactivation in 1976. Futenma was also home to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 36 (H&MS-36), which used the tail code WX.
VMO-6 was a regular service squadron, while VMO-4 (based at Dobbins AFB near Atlanta, Georgia and carrying tail code MU) was a reserve squadron. VMO-4 was the last unit to operate the Bronco, deactivating in July 1994. After Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Marine Corps Broncos from VMO-4 assisted in drug interdiction missions. This task foreshadowed the aggressive refurbishment program undertaken by the BATF, and later transferred to the U.S. Department of State, to convert the OV-10 to spray drug fields with herbicide using ex-Marine OV-10Ds pulled out of storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona.
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Group:
ASH030 Description: VMO-6 shots A/C no 07 incl. Gear collapse
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ID: 201
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GROUP: ASH030 - 01
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=393
H=254
15KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_bent1.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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BuNo 155427
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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1975
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LOCATION
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Entrance to VMO-6 hangar, MCAS Futema, Okinawa Japan
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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Ashby Shoop sent us this photo and the next to show us what happens when you raise the gear on an OV-10 without first becoming airborne! Note the re-contoured drop tank and the "new and improved" propeller shape. (That's Capt. Crews wondering what's happened to one of his airplanes - Ashby tells us that assistant maintenance officers can be pretty proprietary!)
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ID: 202
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GROUP: ASH030 - 02
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=681
H=469
30KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_bent2.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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BuNo 155427
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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1975
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LOCATION
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Entrance to VMO-6 hangar, MCAS Futema, Okinawa Japan
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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On this shot of 155427, note the gear door mod and the wrinkle just ahead of the windscreen. The aircraft was taxiing when the gear folded.
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ID: 205
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GROUP: ASH030 - 03
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Quoth Ashby: "This is one of several formating VMO-6 birds, probably in 1976, based on the bicentennial paint. Note the 350 knot tape over the sponson gun ports. The VMO-6 birds had the rescue arrows with instructions in Japanese, which isn't too visible in this picture. All of the VMO-6 aircraft had the change incorporated that added the second FM radio so they all had an antenna on each boom. It probably doesn't show well, but the pilot in this picture has his helmet taped with the twin horseshoes emblem of VMO-2. Everybody at VMO-6 (junior officers) came from either VMO-1 or VMO-2 in the States. VMO-6 didn't have a training element, so everyone checking in had an OV-10 MOS (7575 for NATOPS qualified, 7576 for fully qualified TAC(A)). I had my helmet done in VMO-6 standard soon after I arrived and I think that's what the back seater in the picture has. I still have my helmet and it has 'Seaworthy' in reflective tape across the visor cover." Unless they changed the call numbers, this appears to be 155427 - the same aircraft that had the landing gear collapse in 1975.
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Group:
ASH040 Description: Ashby - hangar roof shots
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=564
H=383
19KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_flightline1.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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BuNo 155423, Unknown
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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Late 1976
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LOCATION
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MCAS Futema, Okinawa Japan
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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The next two pictures were taken from on top of the VMO-6 hangar at Futema on the occasion of the disbanding of VMO-6. There should be some variation between the bicentenial paint on these A/C... no two were alike as they were hand-painted by the ground crews.
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=578
H=390
25KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_flightline2.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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BuNo 155426, Unknown
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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Late 1976
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LOCATION
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MCAS Futema, Okinawa Japan
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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More shots from the hangar roof.
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Group:
ASH050 Description: Ashby - formation flying
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The next series of photos were sent by Ashby and show something unusual for a Bronco... a Mk. 82 500 pound general-purpose bomb being carried on the centerline station, in addition to the more familiar M60 sponson guns, 4 seven-shot 2.75 inch rocket pods (2 pods with high-explosive (HE) rockets, and 2 with White Phosphorous [WP or Willie-Pete] marking rounds.) This flight to support a flight of F-4s occurred during a VMO-6 detachment at NAS Cubi Point. 1st/Lt Shoop is flying the airplane in the picture, and the A/O in the back is a Capt. Michaels. CWO3 Ed Hamlin took the pictures from another OV-10.
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Looks like fun, doesn't it?
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Wheeee!!
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The detailed shot shows the underside of an OV-10A well.
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=1307
H=733
35KB
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Pix/USMC/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_155415_shoop4.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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BuNo 155415
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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April 1975
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LOCATION
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NAS Cubi Point
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
CWO3 Ed Hamlin
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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Speaking of Broncos carrying bombs, you should ask Grump about the time VMO-2 found some old Fuel-Air Explosive bombs (you know, the one-step-below-a-nuke variety of bomb that they use to clear out chopper landing zones)... just why were they called "Monkey-smashers" again?
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Group:
FER020 Description: Ed Fernane, Atsugi Snow pics
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Ed Fernane sent this picture of an OV-10A (BuNo 155755) of H&MS-36, taken during deployment to NAF Atsugi, Japan around 1980. That is a ground heater used to preheat the engines and the cockpit.
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155755 again, this is the preflight walkaround. Ed wasn't sure, but thinks the crew's name may have been Lt's Hill and Burnett.
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155755 again, just prior to engine start. This chilly scene is a far cry from the hot, humid, sauna-like conditions of Vietnam where the Bronco proved itself in combat!
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=578
H=391
25KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_shoop_gunsight.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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Unknown
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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Mid 1970's
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LOCATION
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Midair
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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This is a view through the gun sight. Some pilots preferred to fly on non-shooting missions with the gunsight stowed in the bag for that purpose in the cargo bay. Ashby says, "I'm sure this was on a long flight and I got bored and turned the sight on. Too bad I wasn't more creative and done it when I was aiming at something."
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This is pretty self-explanatory: members of VMO-6 on November 10, 1975. The detail is a close-up of the aircraft... VMO-6 had a bit more color on their planes than some other units.
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Bronco mechanic Ed Fernane contributed this picture of a VMO-6 Bronco, BuNo 155407, was taken in front of Mt. Fuji, possibly during VMO-6's last deployment to Japan (which would place the time of this picture around 1976.) The detail picture is zoomed in on the plane.
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=889
H=601
155KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_cubi1.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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Unknown
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| A/C 2
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N/A
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| A/C 3
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N/A
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| A/C 4
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N/A
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| DATE
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April 1975
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LOCATION
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Arming area, NAS Cubi Point
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ed Hamlin
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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This shows a VMO-6 OV-10A in the arming area at NAS Cubi Point with CBU-56 on the centerline and empty rocket pods. Taken by Ed Hamlin, via Ashby Shoop.
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| PIC 1
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(No Description)
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W=583
H=383
29KB
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pix/usmc/usmc_ov10a_vmo6_shoop_chip-parker.jpg
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| PIC 2
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None
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| PIC 3
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None
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| A/C 1
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OV-10A
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Unknown
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| A/C 2
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OV-10A
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Unknown
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| A/C 3
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OV-10A
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155426
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| A/C 4
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F-4
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Unknown
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| DATE
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Late 1976 or early 1977
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LOCATION
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NAF Atsugi, Japan
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| SENT BY
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Ashby Shoop
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PHOTO BY
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FF9970
Ashby Shoop
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| WEB URL
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N/A
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POSTED
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March 13, 2000
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Writes Ashby:
"This is Brigadier General R.L. "Chip" Parker seen as a Captain at Atsugi in, I think, late 1976 or early 1977. VMO-6 had a detachment at Atsugi to support 2/9 at Camp Fuji. I'm confused by the WX modex that shows these A/C as assigned to H&MS-36. I'm pretty sure the squadron disbanded in December 1976. Chip was then the H&MS-36 subunit (CH-46s at Atsugi) Ops O and Aviation Safety Officer. I got to take Chip up on a maintenance check hop in November '76 when we had to change a prop on one of the det birds. Chip and I went to the GP of Japan out at Fuji in '76 when James Hunt won the championship that year with a win at Fuji having beat Niki Lauda who dropped out in the rain. (We were actually there on Saturday practice before the race and met a USAF OV-10 driver from Osan. We (VMO-6) used to get spare parts from the Air Force on runs to Osan. My plan was if I had a shaky bird in Korea, limp to Osan and let the USAF fix it! One det of VMO-6 supporting Marine exercises in Korea operated out of Osan. At the end of the first day, a junior Air Force officer who had drawn runway duty officer wanted to debrief VMO-6 pilots on their landings. What a hoot!)"
Note: the aircraft in the background, 155426, is seen on page 39 of the Squadron-Signal OV-10 book as a VMO-6 ship with a different tail code (WB).
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