C-46 Commando

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100 soldiers on wings of Curtiss C-46 1943

17th Airborne Troops Jump from C-46, Operation Varsity 24 March 1945

Airmen load Sikorsky R-4 into a C-46 41-24719

Brand new C-46E, 1945

C-46 "Southern Belle" of the 313th Troop Carrier Group

C-46 #3 PTO November 1943

C-46 41-5163 with parallel vehicle ramp

C-46 42-107363

C-46 42-107363 2

C-46 and Jeep PTO

C-46 and P-40 on Assembly Line in Curtiss Plant 1942

C-46 at factory airfield

C-46 at modification center

C-46 cockpit 2

C-46 engine

C-46 horizontal stabilizer and elevator 1943

C-46 in flight

C-46 of the 313th TCG England

C-46 375th Troop Carrier Group „Tokyo or BUST”

C-46 of the 375th TCG, nose art Tokyo or BUST

C-46 PTO

C-46 PTO 2

C-46 Q8-D of the 349th Troop Carrier Group

C-46 rolls out of Curtiss factory

C-46 wing

C-46A 320 of the 433rd Troop Carrier Group, 67thy TCS

C-46A 320 of the 433rd TCG, 67thy TCS

C-46A 41-12375, 41-12378, 41-12377 and P-40

C-46A 41-24703 in flight

C-46A 41-24755 after hitting Dakota IV KN220 436 Squadron Chittagong 19 March 1945

C-46A 41-24772, Curtiss Buffalo factory

C-46A 41-25161 at Buffalo factory

C-46A 41-5159 1942 2

C-46A 41-5159 1942 in flight 3

C-46A 41-5159 1942 in flight 4

C-46A 41-5159 in flight 1942

C-46A 41-5160

C-46A 42-107343 Agadir

C-46A 42-96621 2

C-46A 42-96621 in flight

C-46A 42-96803 2

C-46A 42-96803 3

C-46A 42-96803 in flight

C-46A 43-47313 in flight

C-46A and P-40 assembly line 3

C-46A assembly line

C-46A assembly line 2

C-46A assembly line 4

C-46A CBI

C-46A engine

C-46A engine 4

C-46A final assembly line 2

C-46A final assembly line at Curtiss' Buffalo factory

C-46A in flight

Curtiss C-46A of the N3-O 47th TCS, 313 TCG

C-46A of the N3-O 47th TCS, 313 Troop Carrier Group

C-46A wing

C-46A wing 2

C-46A-10 41-12338 in flight

C-46D - paratroop transport aircraft, fitted with an extra door on the port side

C-46D 44-77519 N3-K of the 313th TCG, 47th TCS

C-46D 44-77519 N3-K of the 313th TCG, 47 TCS, ETO

C-46D 44-77519 N3-K of the 313th Troop Carrier Group, 47th TCS, ETO

C-46D 44-77541 N3-A of the 313th TCG, 47th Squadron 1945

Curtiss C-46D 44-77548 H2-L of 313th TCG

C-46D 44-77548 H2-L of 313th Troop Carrier Group

C-46D 44-78109 in flight

C-46D 44-78120 3

C-46D 44-78120 5

C-46D 44-78120 fitted with an extra door on the port side

Curtiss C-46 X144 of the 375th TCG, Pacific 1945

C-46D code X144 of the 375th TCG, Pacific 1945

C-46D W7-AD 44-77686 of the 316th Troop Carrier Group

C-46E 2

C-46E 3

C-46E 43-47403 July 1945

C-46E 43-47403, front view

C-46F 44-78627 for China, 1945

Crashed C-46

Crashed C-46A 42-101159 X619 of 2nd CCG, October 1945

Crashed C-46D #7 1944

Curtiss C-46 assembly line

Curtiss C-46 in flight

Curtiss C-46A 43-46994 India

Curtiss C-46A engine 3

Curtiss C-46A warming up engines

Curtiss C-46D 44-78032

Curtiss C-46D 44-78109 2

Early C-46

Early C-46 during tests at Curtiss-Wright Factory Buffalo

Flight crews unload AE-1 30289 from a C-46 at Peleliu

Flight crews unload Piper AE-1 30289 from a C-46 at Peleliu

Interior of a C-46

Jeep beside C-46 Commando and P-40 Warhawk

Jeep beside Curtiss C-46 Commando and P-40 Warhawk

Loading a Jeep onto a C-46 41-5166 2

Loading C-46A 41-12413 to flight to China over Hump 44

Loading Jeep onto C-46A 41-5163

Maintenance on P&W R-2800 engine of C-46

Marine Curtiss R5C-1 destroyed by Japanese Paratroops Yontan Airfield

Marine R5C-1 destroyed by Japanese Paratroops Yontan Airfield 1945

P-40 and C-46, Curtiss plant 1944

Paratroopers jumping from a C-46 44-77548 313th TCG 2

Paratroopers jumping from a C-46 44-77548 H2-L of 313th TCG 2

Paratroopers jumping from C-46 44-77524 of the 437th TCG

Paratroopers jumping from C-46D 44-77524 of the 437th TCG

Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine

Curtiss R5C of VMR-952 taxis on the runway at Yontan Okinawa in April 1945

R5C of the VMR-952 taxis on the runway at Yontan Okinawa in April 1945

Soldiers are exiting the C-46 41-5166

Soldiers waiting to board the C-46A

Soldiers waiting to board the C-46A 2

Tail of C-46A 42-96535

The instrument panel in the cockpit of a C-46

U.S. Military transport aircraft C-46A 41-24703 2

Wounded evacuated aboard C-46 of the 1st Air Commando Group in Burma

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.

Design and Structure

Type: Twin-engine transport aircraft designed for cargo, troop transport, and specialized missions.
Wings:
- Configuration: Low-wing cantilever monoplane with all-metal construction, divided into three sections: a rectangular center-section and two tapering outer sections with detachable tips.
- Structure: The center-section features three built-up spars with extruded flanges, girder-type ribs, and a stressed skin of 24ST Alclad with spanwise hat-shaped stiffeners. Outer sections include two spars, girder-type ribs (with special web-type ribs near the roots), and a similar stressed skin. The leading edges feature flush riveting back to about one-third of the chord.
- Flaps and Ailerons: Hydraulically-operated flaps are present in the center and outer sections, inboard of the ailerons. Ailerons are dynamically and statically balanced, with metal-covered noses, stamped ribs, and fabric covering.
Fuselage:
- Construction: All-metal semi-monocoque structure in four sections, with a cross-sectional shape formed by two intersecting circles. The structure includes a series of transverse rings, bulkheads, and longitudinal stringers, covered with smooth 24ST Alclad skin. Flush riveting is used in drag-sensitive areas.
Tail Unit:
- Type: Cantilever monoplane with all-metal construction, featuring detachable tips on all surfaces. The tailplane consists of two interchangeable sections with three beams each. Elevators and rudder are dynamically balanced and equipped with trim-tabs.

Landing Gear

Type: Retractable, consisting of Cleveland "Aerol" oleo-pneumatic shock-absorber struts. The landing gear retracts into the nacelles, with hydraulically-operated fairing doors that close after the gear is retracted. The tail-wheel is fully retractable and shimmy-dampened.

Power Plant

Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder radial air-cooled engines, each delivering 2,000 hp.
Propellers: Curtiss Electric four-bladed constant-speed full-feathering airscrews, with a diameter of 13 ft. 6 in. (4.12 m).
Fuel System: Includes three self-sealing fuel tanks in each outer wing section, totaling 1,400 U.S. gallons, with an additional 800 U.S. gallons in eight fuselage tanks for long-range missions. Each engine has a separate oil system with a 40 U.S. gallon tank.

Accommodation and Cargo

Cockpit: Accommodates a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and radio operator. A door connects the cockpit with the main cargo compartment.
Cargo Compartment:
- Dimensions: 48 ft. (14.6 m) long, 9 ft. 10 in. (3 m) wide, and 6 ft. 8 in. (2 m) high, with a capacity of 2,300 cu. ft. (69 cu. m.).
- Loading Door: Main loading door on the port side, measuring 8 ft. (2.4 m) wide and 6 ft. (1.8 m) high, divided vertically and positioned to facilitate level loading. Additional smaller openings are present for ventilation and access.
- Capacity: Can accommodate 40 fully-armed troops, 33 stretcher cases, or other cargo equivalent to five Wright R-3350 engines. There are additional cargo spaces beneath the main floor, accessible from the ground.

Performance

Dimensions:
- Span: 108 ft. 1 in. (32.9 m)
- Length: 76 ft. 4 in. (23.3 m)
- Height: 21 ft. 9 in. (6.6 m)
- Wing Area: 1,360 sq. ft. (126.3 sq. m)
Weights and Loadings:
- Empty Weight: 29,483 lbs. (13,385 kg)
- Normal Loaded Weight: 45,000 lbs. (20,430 kg)
- Maximum Overloaded Weight: 50,000 lbs. (22,700 kg)
Performance (at 45,000 lbs. loaded weight):
- Maximum Speed: 265 mph (424 km/h) at 13,000 ft. (3,965 m)
- Cruising Speed: 227 mph (363.2 km/h) at 10,000 ft. (3,050 m)
- Climb to 10,000 ft.: 13.5 minutes
- Service Ceiling: 24,500 ft. (7,470 m)
- Service Ceiling (one engine): 12,000 ft. (3,660 m)

This aircraft was designed for versatility in cargo and personnel transport, with a robust structure and advanced features for its time.