Tangential, but a test pilot at VX-23 was made the project officer for the evaluation on the OV-10's capability to do the Navy's intended mission. What a cool project that would have been!
To me and my knowledge of aviation history this has a lot of parallels to the Air Force procuring retired Navy A-1's and making that platform superb in its intended mission. It is possible, despite the good idea fairies.
It all was part of a much bigger set of evaluations and operational uses. One that one of our (former?) Mods/members was part of. As someone that was lucky enough to be invited to be a fly on the wall for a VERY small part of it, it was all interesting stuff.