C-46 Commando
Encyclopedia
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II
by the United States Army Air Forces
as well as the U.S. Navy
/Marine Corps
under the designation R5C. Known to the men who flew them as "The Whale," or the "Curtiss Calamity," the C-46 served a similar role as its counterpart, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain
, but was not as extensively produced.
After World War II, a few surplus C-46 aircraft were briefly used in their original role as passenger airliners, but the glut of surplus C-47s dominated the marketplace with the C-46 soon relegated to primarily cargo duty. The type continued in U.S. Air Force service in a secondary role until 1968. However, the C-46 continues in operation as a rugged cargo transport for Arctic and remote locations with its service life extended into the 21st century.
. The CW-20 was intended as a private venture intended to introduce a new standard in pressurized
airliners. The CW-20 had a patented fuselage conventionally referred to as a "figure-eight" (or "double-bubble") which enabled it to better withstand the pressure differential at high altitudes. This was done by having the sides of the fuselage creased at the level of the floor that not only separated the two portions but shared in the stress of each, rather than just supporting itself. The main spar of the wing could pass through the bottom section which was mainly intended for cargo without intruding on the passenger upper compartment. A decision to utilize a twin-engine design instead of a four-engine configuration was considered viable if sufficiently powerful engines were available, allowing for lower operating costs and a less complex structure.
Engineering work involved a three-year commitment from the company and incorporated an extensive amount of wind tunnel testing at the California Institute of Technology
(Caltech). The resultant design was a large but aerodynamically "sleek" airliner, incorporating the cockpit in a streamlined glazed "dome." The engines featured a unique nacelle "tunnel cowl" where air was ducted in and expelled through the bottom of the cowl, reducing turbulent airflow and induced drag across the upper wing surface. After a mock-up was constructed in 1938, Curtiss-Wright exhibited the innovative project as a display in the 1939 New York World's Fair
.
Although the company had approached many airlines in order to obtain their requirements for an advanced airliner, no firm orders resulted, although 25 letters of intent were received, sufficient to undertake production. The design of a 24-34 passenger airliner proceeded to prototype stage as the CW-20 at the St. Louis, Missouri facility with the initial configuration featuring twin vertical tail surfaces. Powered by two 1,600 hp R-2600-C14-BA2 Wright Twin Cyclone
s, NX-19436 flew for the first time on 26 March 1940 with famed test pilot Edmund T. "Eddie" Allen
at the controls. After testing, modifications were instituted, including the fitting of a large single tail to improve stability at low speeds.
The first prototype was purchased by the United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) to serve as a master for the series and was designated "C-55", but after military evaluation, the sole example was returned to Curtiss-Wright and subsequently re-sold to the British Overseas Airways Corporation
(BOAC). During testing, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold
became interested in the potential of the airliner as a military cargo transport, and on 13 September 1940, ordered 46 modified CW-20As as the C-46-CU Commando; the last 21 aircraft in this order were delivered as Model CW-20Bs, designated C-46A-1-CU. None of the first C-46s purchased by the U.S. military were pressurized. The design was then modified to the C-46A configuration, receiving enlarged cargo doors, a strengthened load floor, and a convertible cabin that speeded changes in carrying freight and troops. The C-46 was introduced to the public at a ceremony in May 1942, attended by its designer, George A. Page Jr.
A total of 200 C-46As in two initial batches were ordered. At this time, one other important change was made; more powerful 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800
engines replaced the two Wright Twin Cyclone
s. A number of minor modifications, such as fuel system changes and fewer cabin windows were also adopted. Subsequent military contracts for the C-46A extended the production run to 1,454 examples, 40 of which were destined for the U.S. Marine Corps, to be designated R5C-1. The military model was fitted with double cargo doors, a strengthened floor and hydraulically operated cargo handling winch; 40 folding seats were the sole passenger accommodation for what was essentially a cargo hauler. Tests indicated that the production C-46 was capable of carrying a substantial payload, and could fly well on one engine. When empty, the aircraft could even climb on one engine at 200–300 ft per minute.
The final large production run C-46D arrived in 1944–45, and featured single doors to facilitate paratroop drops; production totaled 1,430 aircraft. Although a one-off XC-46B experimented with a stepped windscreen and uprated powerplants, a small run of 17 C-46Es had many of the same features as the XC-46B along with three-bladed Hamilton-Standard propellers replacing the standard Curtiss-Electric four-bladed units. A last contract for 234 C-46Fs reverted to the earlier cockpit shape but introduced square wingtips. A sole C-46G had the stepped windscreen and square wingtips but the end of the war resulted in the cancellation of any additional orders for the type.
(CBI) and the Far East
, the Commando was a workhorse in flying over "The Hump
" (as the Himalaya Mountains were nicknamed by Allied airmen), transporting desperately needed supplies to troops in China from bases in India and Burma. A variety of transports had been employed in the campaign, but only the C-46 was able to handle the wide range of adverse conditions encountered by the USAAF. Unpredictably violent weather, heavy cargo loads, high mountain terrain, and poorly-equipped and frequently flooded airfields proved a considerable challenge to the transport aircraft then in service, along with a host of engineering and maintenance nightmares due to a shortage of trained air and ground personnel. After a series of mechanical gremlins were resolved, the C-46 proved its worth in the airlift operation. It could carry more cargo higher than other Allied twin-engine transport aircraft in the theater, including light artillery, fuel, ammunition, parts of aircraft and, on occasion, livestock. Its powerful engines enabled it to climb satisfactorily with heavy loads, staying aloft on one engine if not overloaded, though "war emergency" load limits of up to 40,000 lbs often erased any safety margins. Nevertheless, after the troublesome Curtiss-Electric electrically-controlled pitch mechanism on the propellers had been removed, the C-46 continued to be employed in the CBI and over wide areas of southern China throughout the war years.
The C-46's huge cargo capacity (twice that of the C-47), large cargo doors, powerful engines and long range also made it ideal for the vast distances of the Pacific island campaign. In particular, the U.S. Marines found the aircraft (known as the R5C) useful in their amphibious Pacific operations, flying supplies in and wounded soldiers out of numerous and hastily-built island landing strips.
).
So many C-46s were lost in the paratroop drop during Operation Varsity
that Army general Matthew Ridgway
famously issued an edict forbidding the aircraft's use in future airborne operations. Even though the war ended soon afterward and no further airborne missions were flown, the C-46 may well have been unfairly demonized. The operation's paratroop drop phase was flown in daylight at slow speeds at very low altitudes, by an unarmed cargo aircraft without self-sealing fuel tanks, over heavy concentrations of German 20 mm, 37 mm, and larger calibre antiaircraft (AA) cannon utilizing explosive, incendiary, and armor-piercing incendiary ammunition. By that stage of the war, German AA crews had trained to a high state of readiness; many batteries had considerable combat experience in firing on and destroying high speed, well-armed fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft while under fire themselves. Finally, while many if not all of the C-47s used in Operation Varsity had been retrofitted with self-sealing fuel tanks, the C-46s received no such modification. Although 19 of 72 C-46 aircraft were shot down during Operation Varsity, it is not as well known that losses of other aircraft types from AA fire during the same operation were equally as intense, including 13 gliders shot down, 14 crashed, and 126 badly damaged; 15 B-24 bombers shot down, and 104 badly damaged; 12 C-47s shot down, with 140 damaged.
During the war years, the C-46 was noted for an abnormal number of unexplained in-air explosions (31 between May 1943 and May 1945) that were initially attributed to various causes. In particular, the fuel system, which was quickly designed, then modified for the new, thirstier Pratt & Whitney engines, was criticized. The cause of the explosions was eventually traced to pooled gasoline from small leaks in the tanks and fuel system, combined with a spark, usually originating from open-contact electrical components. Though many service aircraft suffered small fuel leaks in use, the C-46's wings were unvented; if a leak occurred, the gasoline had nowhere to drain, but rather pooled at the wing root. Any spark or fire could set off an explosion. After the war, all C-46 aircraft received a wing vent modification to vent pooled gasoline, and an explosion-proof fuel booster pump was installed with shielded electrical selector switches in lieu of the open-contact type used originally.
, Civil Air Transport
(CAT) and World Airways
to both carry cargo and passengers. Many other small carriers also eventually operated the type on both scheduled and non-scheduled routes. The C-46 became a common sight in South America, and was widely used in Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, especially in mountainous areas (where a good climb rate and high service ceiling were required) or to overfly deep jungle terrain where ground transport was impracticable.
C-46 Commandos also went back to war, serving in both Korea and Vietnam for various USAF operations, including resupply missions, paratroop drops, and clandestine agent transportation. The C-46 was not officially retired from service with the U.S. Air Force until 1968. The type also served under a U.S. civilian agency, the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA). The C-46 played a supporting role in many clandestine operations during the late 1940s and early 1950s, including resupply efforts to Chiang Kai-Shek's troops battling Mao's Communists in China as well as flying cargoes of military and medical supplies to French forces via Gialam Airfield in Hanoi and other bases in French Indochina. The CIA operated its own "airline" for these operations, Civil Air Transport
(CAT), which was eventually renamed Air America in 1959. An Air America C-46 was the last fixed-wing aircraft flown out of VietNam [Saigon] at the close of hostilities there. On 29 April 1975, Capt. E. G. Adams flew a 52-pax seat version, with 152 people on board, to Bangkok, Thailand. The C-46 was also employed in the abortive U.S.-supported Bay of Pigs
invasion in 1961.
Although their numbers gradually began to dwindle, C-46s continued to operate in remote locations, and could be seen in service from Canada and Alaska to Africa and South America. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Canadian
airline
Lamb Air
operated several C-46s from their bases in Thompson
and Churchill
, Manitoba
. One of the largest C-46 operators was Air Manitoba, whose fleet of aircraft featured gaudy color schemes for individual aircraft. In the 1990s, these aircraft were divested to other owner/operators.
Between 1993 and 1995, Relief Air Transport operated three Canadian registered C-46s on Operation Lifeline Sudan from Lokichoggio, Kenya. These aircraft also transported humanitarian supplies to Goma, Zaire and Mogadishu, Somalia from their base in Nairobi, Kenya.
Buffalo Airways
currently owns and operates three C-46s, primarily used in Canada's Arctic. Their aircraft have been featured on the Ice Pilots NWT
television show.
Two C-46s, formerly owned and operated by Relief Air Transport in Africa, were operated as freighters for First Nations Transportation in Gimli, Manitoba, but the airline has now ceased operations with one aircraft sold to Buffalo Airways and the other tied up in receivership.
CW-20
CW-20T
CW-20A
CW-20B
CW-20B-1
CW-20B-2
CW-20B-3
CW-20B-4
CW-20B-5
CW-20E
CW-20G
CW-20H
C-55
C-46 Commando
Commando
CX-46B Commando
XC-46C Commando
Commando
C-46E Commando
Commando
C-46G Commando
C-46H
C-46J
AC-46K Commando
XC-46K
XC-46L
XC-113
R5C-1
Haiti
Republic of China
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
as well as the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
/Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
under the designation R5C. Known to the men who flew them as "The Whale," or the "Curtiss Calamity," the C-46 served a similar role as its counterpart, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
, but was not as extensively produced.
After World War II, a few surplus C-46 aircraft were briefly used in their original role as passenger airliners, but the glut of surplus C-47s dominated the marketplace with the C-46 soon relegated to primarily cargo duty. The type continued in U.S. Air Force service in a secondary role until 1968. However, the C-46 continues in operation as a rugged cargo transport for Arctic and remote locations with its service life extended into the 21st century.
Design and development
The prototype for what would become the C-46, the Curtiss CW-20, was designed in 1937 by George A. Page Jr., the chief aircraft designer at Curtiss-WrightCurtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
. The CW-20 was intended as a private venture intended to introduce a new standard in pressurized
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
airliners. The CW-20 had a patented fuselage conventionally referred to as a "figure-eight" (or "double-bubble") which enabled it to better withstand the pressure differential at high altitudes. This was done by having the sides of the fuselage creased at the level of the floor that not only separated the two portions but shared in the stress of each, rather than just supporting itself. The main spar of the wing could pass through the bottom section which was mainly intended for cargo without intruding on the passenger upper compartment. A decision to utilize a twin-engine design instead of a four-engine configuration was considered viable if sufficiently powerful engines were available, allowing for lower operating costs and a less complex structure.
Engineering work involved a three-year commitment from the company and incorporated an extensive amount of wind tunnel testing at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
(Caltech). The resultant design was a large but aerodynamically "sleek" airliner, incorporating the cockpit in a streamlined glazed "dome." The engines featured a unique nacelle "tunnel cowl" where air was ducted in and expelled through the bottom of the cowl, reducing turbulent airflow and induced drag across the upper wing surface. After a mock-up was constructed in 1938, Curtiss-Wright exhibited the innovative project as a display in the 1939 New York World's Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
.
Although the company had approached many airlines in order to obtain their requirements for an advanced airliner, no firm orders resulted, although 25 letters of intent were received, sufficient to undertake production. The design of a 24-34 passenger airliner proceeded to prototype stage as the CW-20 at the St. Louis, Missouri facility with the initial configuration featuring twin vertical tail surfaces. Powered by two 1,600 hp R-2600-C14-BA2 Wright Twin Cyclone
Wright R-2600
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:...
s, NX-19436 flew for the first time on 26 March 1940 with famed test pilot Edmund T. "Eddie" Allen
Edmund T. "Eddie" Allen
Edmund T. "Eddie" Allen was a pioneer of modern flight test who flew for nearly every major aircraft manufacturer and took some of the most famous planes of all time up for their first flights....
at the controls. After testing, modifications were instituted, including the fitting of a large single tail to improve stability at low speeds.
The first prototype was purchased by the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) to serve as a master for the series and was designated "C-55", but after military evaluation, the sole example was returned to Curtiss-Wright and subsequently re-sold to the British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
(BOAC). During testing, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
became interested in the potential of the airliner as a military cargo transport, and on 13 September 1940, ordered 46 modified CW-20As as the C-46-CU Commando; the last 21 aircraft in this order were delivered as Model CW-20Bs, designated C-46A-1-CU. None of the first C-46s purchased by the U.S. military were pressurized. The design was then modified to the C-46A configuration, receiving enlarged cargo doors, a strengthened load floor, and a convertible cabin that speeded changes in carrying freight and troops. The C-46 was introduced to the public at a ceremony in May 1942, attended by its designer, George A. Page Jr.
A total of 200 C-46As in two initial batches were ordered. At this time, one other important change was made; more powerful 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Pratt & Whitney R-2800
The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is a two-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of 2,804 in³ , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family....
engines replaced the two Wright Twin Cyclone
Wright R-2600
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:...
s. A number of minor modifications, such as fuel system changes and fewer cabin windows were also adopted. Subsequent military contracts for the C-46A extended the production run to 1,454 examples, 40 of which were destined for the U.S. Marine Corps, to be designated R5C-1. The military model was fitted with double cargo doors, a strengthened floor and hydraulically operated cargo handling winch; 40 folding seats were the sole passenger accommodation for what was essentially a cargo hauler. Tests indicated that the production C-46 was capable of carrying a substantial payload, and could fly well on one engine. When empty, the aircraft could even climb on one engine at 200–300 ft per minute.
The final large production run C-46D arrived in 1944–45, and featured single doors to facilitate paratroop drops; production totaled 1,430 aircraft. Although a one-off XC-46B experimented with a stepped windscreen and uprated powerplants, a small run of 17 C-46Es had many of the same features as the XC-46B along with three-bladed Hamilton-Standard propellers replacing the standard Curtiss-Electric four-bladed units. A last contract for 234 C-46Fs reverted to the earlier cockpit shape but introduced square wingtips. A sole C-46G had the stepped windscreen and square wingtips but the end of the war resulted in the cancellation of any additional orders for the type.
Operational history
Pacific Theater
Most famous for its operations in the China-Burma-India theaterChina Burma India Theater of World War II
China Burma India Theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II...
(CBI) and the Far East
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, the Commando was a workhorse in flying over "The Hump
The Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
" (as the Himalaya Mountains were nicknamed by Allied airmen), transporting desperately needed supplies to troops in China from bases in India and Burma. A variety of transports had been employed in the campaign, but only the C-46 was able to handle the wide range of adverse conditions encountered by the USAAF. Unpredictably violent weather, heavy cargo loads, high mountain terrain, and poorly-equipped and frequently flooded airfields proved a considerable challenge to the transport aircraft then in service, along with a host of engineering and maintenance nightmares due to a shortage of trained air and ground personnel. After a series of mechanical gremlins were resolved, the C-46 proved its worth in the airlift operation. It could carry more cargo higher than other Allied twin-engine transport aircraft in the theater, including light artillery, fuel, ammunition, parts of aircraft and, on occasion, livestock. Its powerful engines enabled it to climb satisfactorily with heavy loads, staying aloft on one engine if not overloaded, though "war emergency" load limits of up to 40,000 lbs often erased any safety margins. Nevertheless, after the troublesome Curtiss-Electric electrically-controlled pitch mechanism on the propellers had been removed, the C-46 continued to be employed in the CBI and over wide areas of southern China throughout the war years.
The C-46's huge cargo capacity (twice that of the C-47), large cargo doors, powerful engines and long range also made it ideal for the vast distances of the Pacific island campaign. In particular, the U.S. Marines found the aircraft (known as the R5C) useful in their amphibious Pacific operations, flying supplies in and wounded soldiers out of numerous and hastily-built island landing strips.
Europe
Although not built in the same quantities as its more famous wartime compatriot, the C-47 Skytrain, the C-46 nevertheless played a significant role in wartime operations, although the aircraft was not deployed in numbers to the European theater until March 1945. It augmented USAAF Troop Carrier Command in time to drop paratroopers in an offensive to cross the Rhine River in Germany (Operation VarsityOperation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
).
So many C-46s were lost in the paratroop drop during Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
that Army general Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
famously issued an edict forbidding the aircraft's use in future airborne operations. Even though the war ended soon afterward and no further airborne missions were flown, the C-46 may well have been unfairly demonized. The operation's paratroop drop phase was flown in daylight at slow speeds at very low altitudes, by an unarmed cargo aircraft without self-sealing fuel tanks, over heavy concentrations of German 20 mm, 37 mm, and larger calibre antiaircraft (AA) cannon utilizing explosive, incendiary, and armor-piercing incendiary ammunition. By that stage of the war, German AA crews had trained to a high state of readiness; many batteries had considerable combat experience in firing on and destroying high speed, well-armed fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft while under fire themselves. Finally, while many if not all of the C-47s used in Operation Varsity had been retrofitted with self-sealing fuel tanks, the C-46s received no such modification. Although 19 of 72 C-46 aircraft were shot down during Operation Varsity, it is not as well known that losses of other aircraft types from AA fire during the same operation were equally as intense, including 13 gliders shot down, 14 crashed, and 126 badly damaged; 15 B-24 bombers shot down, and 104 badly damaged; 12 C-47s shot down, with 140 damaged.
During the war years, the C-46 was noted for an abnormal number of unexplained in-air explosions (31 between May 1943 and May 1945) that were initially attributed to various causes. In particular, the fuel system, which was quickly designed, then modified for the new, thirstier Pratt & Whitney engines, was criticized. The cause of the explosions was eventually traced to pooled gasoline from small leaks in the tanks and fuel system, combined with a spark, usually originating from open-contact electrical components. Though many service aircraft suffered small fuel leaks in use, the C-46's wings were unvented; if a leak occurred, the gasoline had nowhere to drain, but rather pooled at the wing root. Any spark or fire could set off an explosion. After the war, all C-46 aircraft received a wing vent modification to vent pooled gasoline, and an explosion-proof fuel booster pump was installed with shielded electrical selector switches in lieu of the open-contact type used originally.
Postwar
Overall, the C-46 had been successful in its primary role as a wartime cargo transport, and had benefited from a series of improvements. Like the C-47/DC-3, the C-46 seemed destined for a useful career as a postwar civilian passenger airliner, and was considered for that purpose by Eastern Airlines. However, the high operating costs of the C-46 (up to 50% greater than the C-47), soon caused most operators to change their minds. Consequently, most postwar C-46 operations were limited to commercial cargo transport, and then only for certain routes. One of the C-46's major drawbacks was the prodigious fuel consumption of its powerful 2,000 hp engines, which used gasoline at a much higher rate than the C-47/DC-3. Maintenance was also more intensive and costlier. Despite these disadvantages, surplus C-46s were used by some air carriers, including Capitol, Flying TigersFlying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel .- History :...
, Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport was a Chinese airline, later owned by the CIA, that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia...
(CAT) and World Airways
World Airways
World Airways, Inc. is an American airline headquartered at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia. For the most part, the company operates non-scheduled services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport.-History:...
to both carry cargo and passengers. Many other small carriers also eventually operated the type on both scheduled and non-scheduled routes. The C-46 became a common sight in South America, and was widely used in Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, especially in mountainous areas (where a good climb rate and high service ceiling were required) or to overfly deep jungle terrain where ground transport was impracticable.
C-46 Commandos also went back to war, serving in both Korea and Vietnam for various USAF operations, including resupply missions, paratroop drops, and clandestine agent transportation. The C-46 was not officially retired from service with the U.S. Air Force until 1968. The type also served under a U.S. civilian agency, the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA). The C-46 played a supporting role in many clandestine operations during the late 1940s and early 1950s, including resupply efforts to Chiang Kai-Shek's troops battling Mao's Communists in China as well as flying cargoes of military and medical supplies to French forces via Gialam Airfield in Hanoi and other bases in French Indochina. The CIA operated its own "airline" for these operations, Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport was a Chinese airline, later owned by the CIA, that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia...
(CAT), which was eventually renamed Air America in 1959. An Air America C-46 was the last fixed-wing aircraft flown out of VietNam [Saigon] at the close of hostilities there. On 29 April 1975, Capt. E. G. Adams flew a 52-pax seat version, with 152 people on board, to Bangkok, Thailand. The C-46 was also employed in the abortive U.S.-supported Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
invasion in 1961.
Although their numbers gradually began to dwindle, C-46s continued to operate in remote locations, and could be seen in service from Canada and Alaska to Africa and South America. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
Lamb Air
Lamb Air
Lamb Air Ltd. was an airline that began operations in 1934 in The Pas, Manitoba, Canada and went out of business in 1981.-History:Tom Lamb was the son of Thomas Henry Peacock Lamb, who had emigrated from England in the late 19th century. THP Lamb turned from school teacher to fur trader and in...
operated several C-46s from their bases in Thompson
Thompson, Manitoba
Thompson is a city in northern Manitoba. As the "Hub of the North" it serves as the regional trade and service centre of northern Manitoba. Thompson is located north of the Canada – United States border, north of the provincial capital of Winnipeg, and is northeast of Flin Flon...
and Churchill
Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. One of the largest C-46 operators was Air Manitoba, whose fleet of aircraft featured gaudy color schemes for individual aircraft. In the 1990s, these aircraft were divested to other owner/operators.
Between 1993 and 1995, Relief Air Transport operated three Canadian registered C-46s on Operation Lifeline Sudan from Lokichoggio, Kenya. These aircraft also transported humanitarian supplies to Goma, Zaire and Mogadishu, Somalia from their base in Nairobi, Kenya.
Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada established in 1970 by Joe McBryan, also known as "Buffalo Joe". It operates scheduled passenger, scheduled cargo, charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting and fuel services...
currently owns and operates three C-46s, primarily used in Canada's Arctic. Their aircraft have been featured on the Ice Pilots NWT
Ice Pilots NWT
Ice Pilots NWT is a reality television documentary series broadcast on History Television that portrays Buffalo Airways, an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Buffalo flies WWII-era propeller planes year-round in the Canadian North. It premiered on November 18, 2009...
television show.
Two C-46s, formerly owned and operated by Relief Air Transport in Africa, were operated as freighters for First Nations Transportation in Gimli, Manitoba, but the airline has now ceased operations with one aircraft sold to Buffalo Airways and the other tied up in receivership.
Variants
- Original passenger airliner design.
CW-20T
- The original passenger airliner prototype, fitted with a dihedralled tailplane and endplate vertical tail fins, powered by two 1,700 hp (1,268 kW) Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone radial piston engines.
CW-20A
- Company designation of the C-55.
CW-20B
- Company designation of the C-46A.
CW-20B-1
- Company designation of the XC-46B.
CW-20B-2
- Company designation of the C-46D.
CW-20B-3
- Company designation of the C-46E.
CW-20B-4
- Company designation of the C-46F.
CW-20B-5
- Company designation of the C-46G.
CW-20E
- Company designation of the AC-46K.
CW-20G
- Company designation of the XC-46C.
CW-20H
- Company designation of the XC-46L.
C-55
- Modification to the original CW-20T prototype, fitted with a single straight tail, plus two tail fins and other improvements. It was used as a C-46 military transport prototype aircraft, also designated XC-46. Later sold to BOACBoacBoac may refer to:* Boac, Marinduque, a municipality in the Southern Philippines* Boac , an American rapper* British Overseas Airways Corporation, a former British state-owned airline...
C-46 Commando
- Twin engined military transport aircraft, powered by two 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 radial piston engines.
Commando
- Twin-engined military transport aircraft, powered by two 2,000 hp (1,419 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 radial piston engines, fitted with a large cargo door on the port side of the fuselage, equipped with strengthened cargo floor, a hydraulic winch and folding seats for up to 40 troops.
CX-46B Commando
- One C-46A was converted into a test aircraft to evaluate a stepped windscreen design, it was powered by two 2,100 hp (1,567 kW) H-2800-34W radial piston engines.
XC-46C Commando
- Later redesignated XC-113.
Commando
- Twin-engined personnel, paratroop transport aircraft, fitted with an extra door on the port side; 1,610 built.
C-46E Commando
- Twin-engined utility transport aircraft, equipped with a large cargo door on the port side of the fuselage, fitted with a stepped windscreen; 17 built.
Commando
- Twin-engined cargo transport aircraft, equipped with cargo doors on both sides of the fuselage, fitted with square cut wingtips; 234 built.
C-46G Commando
- This one-off aircraft was fitted with a stepped windscreen and square wingtips, one built.
C-46H
C-46J
AC-46K Commando
- Unbuilt version, intended to be powered by two 2,500 hp (1865-kW) Wright R-3350-BD radial piston engines.
XC-46K
XC-46L
- In 1945 three C-46s were fitted with Wright R-3350 radial piston engines.
XC-113
- Engine change: One C-46G was converted into an engine testbed, the aircraft was fitted with a General Electric T31 turboprop in place of right hand side R-2800. The aircraft handled so poorly on the ground that it was never flown.
R5C-1
- Twin-engined military transport aircraft for the US Marine Corps. Similar to the C-46A Commando; 160 built.
Military Operators
- Bolivian Air ForceBolivian Air ForceThe Bolivian Air Force is part of the Military of Bolivia.-History:By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft , and about 300 staff; the officers were...
- Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
- Republic of China Air ForceRepublic of China Air ForceThe Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
- People's Liberation Army Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Air ForceThe People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
- Colombian Air ForceColombian Air ForceThe Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
(one aircraft)
- Haitian Air CorpsArmed Forces of HaitiThe Armed Forces of Haiti, , consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy , Haitian Coast Guard, the Haitian Air Force, and some police forces . The Army was always the dominant service with the others serving primarily in a support role...
- Israeli Air ForceIsraeli Air ForceThe Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
- Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense ForceThe , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
- South Korean Air Force
- C-46 on display at the War Memorial of Korea, SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Republic of Korea
- Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air ForceThe Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
- One aircraft only.
- United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
- United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Civil Operators
- Aeroplan
- Aerotransportes Litoral Argentino (ALA)
- Austral Lineas AereasAustral Líneas AéreasAustral Líneas Aéreas , more commonly known by its shortened name Austral, is a domestic airline of Argentina, the sister company of Aerolíneas Argentinas. It is the second largest domestic scheduled airline in the country, after Aerolíneas Argentinas itself...
- Aero GeralAero GeralAero Geral Ltda was a Brazilian airline founded in 1941. It was bought and merged into Varig in 1952.-History:Aero Geral Ltda was founded in 1941 in the Amazon region and started flying with a single Monocoupe 90A in February 1942. However, due to technical difficulties, it was grounded in 1944 and...
- AeronorteAeronorteEmpresa de Transportes Aéreos Norte do Brasil Ltda – Aeronorte was a Brazilian airline founded in 1949 that operated in the north and northeast regions of Brazil. It was bought by Aerovias Brasil in 1953 but maintained some degree of autonomy...
- Aerovias BrasilAerovias BrasilEmpresa de Transportes Aéreos Aerovias Brasil S/A was a Brazilian airline founded in 1942. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nacional, of which Aerovias Brasil was one of the partners.-History:...
- Companhia Itaú de Transportes AéreosCompanhia Itaú de Transportes AéreosCompanhia Itaú de Transportes Aéreos was a Brazilian airline founded in 1947. In 1955 it was sold to Transportes Aéreos Nacional, which incorporated the airline the following year.-History:...
- Linha Aérea Transcontinental BrasileiraLinha Aérea Transcontinental BrasileiraLinha Aérea Transcontinental Brasileira S.A. was a Brazilian airline formed in 1944 and that started scheduled flights in 1946. In 1951 it was sold to Real Transportes Aéreos, which incorporated the airline the following year.-History:...
- Linhas Aéreas Paulistas – LAPLinhas Aéreas Paulistas – LAPLinhas Aéreas Paulistas – LAP was a Brazilian airline founded in 1943. In 1951 it was bought and merged into Lóide Aéreo Nacional.-History:Linhas Aéreas Paulistas – LAP S.A. was founded in 1943 but the first meeting of shareholders took place only on February 9, 1945...
- Lóide Aéreo NacionalLóide Aéreo NacionalLóide Aéreo Nacional S/A was a Brazilian airline founded in 1947. In 1962 it was incorporated by VASP.-History:On December 22, 1947, Ruy Vacani founded the airline TCA – Transportes Carga Aérea S.A. in Anápolis, State of Goiás, Brazil, an airline specialized in transportation of cargo...
- NAB – Navegação Aérea BrasileiraNAB – Navegação Aérea BrasileiraNAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira was a Brazilian airline founded in 1940. In 1961 it was sold to Lóide Aéreo Nacional.-History:NAB was founded on January 28, 1940. The three original associates Orsini de Araújo Coriolano, Paulo da Rocha Viana, and Euvaldo Lodi initially invested heavily in...
- Paraense Transportes AéreosParaense Transportes AéreosParaense Transportes Aéreos was a Brazilian airline founded in 1952. It ceased operations in 1970.-History:Paraense Transportes Aéreos was a Brazilian airline founded on February 18, 1952 by Antônio Alves Affonso Ramos Junior and made its maiden flight on March 30 of the same year, using a...
- Real Transportes AéreosReal Transportes AéreosReal Transportes Aéreos was a Brazilian airline founded in 1945. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nacional, of which Real was the main carrier....
- Sadia
- TABATABA – Transportes Aéreos da Bacia AmazônicaTABA – Transportes Aéreos da Bacia Amazônica was a Brazilian airline founded in 1976. It ceased operations in 1999.-History:On November 11, 1975 the Brazilian Federal Government created the Brazilian Integrated System of Regional Air Transportation and divided the country in five different regions,...
- TAS – Transportes Aéreos SalvadorTAS – Transportes Aéreos SalvadorTAS – Transportes Aéreos Salvador Ltda. was a Brazilian airline founded in 1949. In 1962 it was sold and incorporated to Sadia Transportes Aéreos.-History:TAS was founded in 1949 as a non-scheduled carrier and flights started in 1950...
- Transportes Aéreos NacionalTransportes Aéreos NacionalTransportes Aéreos Nacional was a Brazilian airline founded in 1946. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nacional, of which Transportes Aéreos Nacional was one of the partners.-History:...
- Transportes Aéreos Universal
- VarigVarigVARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
- Air Manitoba
- Buffalo AirwaysBuffalo AirwaysBuffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada established in 1970 by Joe McBryan, also known as "Buffalo Joe". It operates scheduled passenger, scheduled cargo, charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting and fuel services...
- Lambair
- First Nations TransportationFirst Nations TransportationFirst Nations Transportation was a Canadian airline from Gimli, ManitobaFounded in 2003, was operate a fleet of two Curtiss C-46 and two Douglas C-47. It ceased operations in April 2009.-External links:* *...
- Pacific Western AirlinesPacific Western AirlinesPacific Western Airlines was an airline that operated scheduled flights throughout western Canada and charter services around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s...
- AerocondorAerocondorAerocondor was an airline based in Cascais, Portugal. It was a regional airline operating scheduled services in mainland Portugal and to Madeira, as well as scheduled passenger services in France and charter services to the United Kingdom and Spain...
- Aeropesca
- ArcaARCAARCA or Arca may refer to:* Automobile Racing Club of America, a stock car auto racing sanctioning body founded by John Marcum in 1953 in the United States...
- AviancaAviancaAvianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
- LACSALacsaLacsa , is the national airline of Costa Rica and is based in San José. It operates international scheduled services to over 35 destinations in Central, North and South America. All international services are now operated by Grupo TACA...
(Líneas Aéreas Costarricenses S.A. / Costa Rica)
- SahsaSahsaServicio Aéreo de Honduras SA otherwise known as SAHSA Airlines was the national flag carrier airline of Honduras from October 22, 1945 to January 14, 1994...
Haiti
- Air HaitiAir HaïtiAir Haïti was an airline based in Haiti.For a few years, Air Haïti's C-46 Commandos were a common site at airport such as San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami International. The airline operated from 1969 until 1982, when it ceased operations....
- former operator
- Irish International Airlines (Seaboard & Western Airlines)
- Relief Air Transport
- LANICA (Líneas Aéreas de Nicaragua S.A./ Nicaragua)
- Paraguayan Airways Service/Servicios Aéreos del Paraguay (PAS) - 3 aircraft
- Lloyd Aéreo Paraguayo S.A. (LAPSA) - 2 aircraft
- Aerocarga Asociados (ACA) - 1 aircraft
- International Products Corporation (IPC Servicio Aéreo) - 1 aircraft
Republic of China
- Civil Air TransportCivil Air TransportCivil Air Transport was a Chinese airline, later owned by the CIA, that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia...
- former operator
- British Overseas Airways CorporationBritish Overseas Airways CorporationThe British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
(CW-20)
United States
- Alaska AirlinesAlaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
- Capitol Air (Capitol International Airways)
- Civil Air TransportCivil Air TransportCivil Air Transport was a Chinese airline, later owned by the CIA, that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia...
(later became Air America) - Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
- Everts Air CargoEverts Air CargoEverts Air Cargo is an American Part 121 airline based in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. It operates D.O.D, scheduled and charter airline cargo within Alaska and Canada...
- Resort Airlines
- Riddle AirlinesRiddle AirlinesRiddle Airlines was founded by John Paul Riddle in 1945 in Miami, Florida as a charter and freight airline. In 1965, it became Airlift International. Riddle was headquartered in the Miami, Florida area....
Uruguay
- ARCO Aerolíneas Colonia S.A.
- Compañía Aeronáutica UruguayaCompania Aeronáutica UruguayaCompañía Aeronáutica Uruguaya S.A. was a private airline company of Uruguay,which operated between 1938 and 1967.- History :Compañía Aeronáutica Uruguaya SA was founded on December 29, 1936 by the Uruguayan banker Luis J. Supervielle and Colonel Tydeo Larre Borges...
S.A. (CAUSA)
Venezuela
- Linea Aeropostal Venezolana