diff --git a/include/osg/Vec2 b/include/osg/Vec2
index adf1c9638..894dabede 100644
--- a/include/osg/Vec2
+++ b/include/osg/Vec2
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ class Vec2
 	    return( norm );
 	}
 
+        inline operator float * (void) { return _v; }
+
 	friend inline ostream& operator << (ostream& output, const Vec2& vec)
         {
 	    output << vec._v[0] << " "
diff --git a/include/osg/Vec3 b/include/osg/Vec3
index c08f053ce..5c6edaea3 100644
--- a/include/osg/Vec3
+++ b/include/osg/Vec3
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ class Vec3
             return( norm );
         }
 
+        inline operator float * (void) { return _v; }
+
 	friend inline ostream& operator << (ostream& output, const Vec3& vec);
 
 };	// end of class Vec3
diff --git a/include/osg/Vec4 b/include/osg/Vec4
index 2bd0b4735..a26bfe8fc 100644
--- a/include/osg/Vec4
+++ b/include/osg/Vec4
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ class Vec4
             return( norm );
         }
 
+        inline operator float * (void) { return _v; }
+
 	friend inline ostream& operator << (ostream& output, const Vec4& vec)
         {
 	    output << vec._v[0] << " "