Page 12 - February 2016

OV-1D To Headline DeFuniak Springs, FL AirshowThe sixth annual Marvel of Flight show will be held April 21-23 at DeFuniak Springs Municipal airport (54J) in northwest Florida, featuring a “Tribute To Vietnam Era Aviation” theme. Among the many attractions planned will be Dr. Joe Masessa’s OV-1D Mohawk “Flying POW/MIA Monument” and two legacy Vietnam helicopters, a UH-1 Huey and an AH-1 HueyCobra. The Vietnam Veterans Association’s 80% scale “traveling wall” replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington will be erected at the show on April 21st.The helicopters will available for sup- porting rides, and will be performing a “Rescue At Dawn” scenario from the Vietnam conflict. In addition to the OV- 1D demonstration, other activities planned are display aircraft judging, vintage vehicles and pilot safety semi- nars. For additional information, visit www.marvelofflight.comcontrols, and the gear extends even without hydraulic pressure, so the airplane just keeps going.” He flies at a light takeoff weight of around 15,000 pounds, much less than the 18,000 pounds used in service. There is an autofeather system in case of an engine loss, but it’s still hard to fly on one, he reports.10 • TWIN & TURBINEMasessa gives a lot of credit to the retired Army mentors who’ve helped him learn to fly the OV-1D, especially his checkout pilot Denny Hegland, and to Ed Finnegan, for his expertise at flying the Mohawk on its annual pilgrimage to Oshkosh for AirVenture. Keeping the aircraft in the air is a labor of love involving a lot of individuals.Masessa’s primary mission is honor the veterans who flew the Mohawk, and those who served in all our country’s conflicts. His public-relations person, Julie Neal of Aviation Marketing Consultants in Tennessee, researched the Missing In Action records from Southeast Asia and found there were 1,636 names still unaccounted for; the Mohawk was stenciled with each of the MIAs and, as their remains are brought home for honored burial, a ceremony is held and an American flag is added beside their inscription.We spoke with many who flew the OV-1 and in doing sogained considerable respect for what it achieved in service. Dr. Masessa is to be congratulated for dedicating his work to remembering what the aircraft and its crews did. To learn more, and support the effort, visit www. OV1MohawkAssociation.org and www.MohawkAirshows.com. T&T-•FEBRUARY 2016