OV-10B Bronco Demo Team


Bronco Demo Team are very pleased to announce that our third OV-10 Bronco, the former German 99+18, has successfully completed it’s maiden flight on Saturday 26th of May at Schwenningen-am-Neckar Airfield in Germany. The Bronco had been on static display at the International Aviation Museum - Manfred Pflumm since 1991.

Over the past 12 months a group of dedicated Bronco enthusiasts under the leadership of Tony De Bruyn, expended a lot of work in order to make the aircraft airworthy again. The aircraft received detailed inspections, repairs as necessary, overhauled engines and propellers. When the restoration work was finished with engine runs performed, the UK CAA inspected the aircraft in detail and a ferry permit was issued under it’s new G-ONAA registration.

Several full power engine and taxi runs were performed before Tony took the aircraft back into the air on Saturday evening in perfect weather conditions. After more then 20 years the Bronco flew again over the Black Forest on a successful initial shake down flight. On Whit Sunday it was time for Tony to perform the full flight test procedure with great success. No further adjustments or rectifications were required, proving the high quality of the restoration work.

On Monday 29th of May Bronco 99+18 started it’s ferry flight to the UK via Wevelgem airport in Belgium. The farewell flight was attended by a large party of Bronco Demo Team members, who waved Tony off together with museum owners Margot and Manfred Pflumm and many Schwenningen-am-Neckar airfield residents.


A little further restoration work – which could not be carried out at Schwenningen –am-Neckar airfield - is still required. When a new paintjob finishes off the restoration, 99+18 will be added to the Bronco Demo Team’s fleet, making three ship OV-10 formation displays at airshows around Europe an exciting prospect indeed. Hereby we would like to thank everyone who helped making it possible to get the Bronco 99+18 back into the sky, where it belongs!