C–46

The Curtiss C–46 Commando originated in 1940 as a large, thirty-six–passenger airliner, clearly intended to leapfrog the successful Douglas DC–3. As a bigger, potentially more productive twin-engine military transport, the C–46 was quickly taken over by military authorities at the outbreak of World War II. The C–46 eventually served in every theater of the war, although it became most closely associated with operations over the “Hump” in the China-Burma-India theater. Its Pratt & Whitney engines, rated at 2,000 hp each, gave it a top speed of 260 mph. The airplane’s range of nearly three thousand miles with a combat load of sixteen thousand pounds made it a heavily used workhorse; it also carried fifty combat troops or thirty-three litter patients for medical evacuation. The airplane’s size and cargo load justified a three-man crew, including pilot, copilot, and crew chief, with an occasional cabin assistant or extra cargo loader as needed. The C–46 entered service in 1942, and combat operations quickly resulted in a host of variants to meet rapidly changing combat conditions and specialized loads. Wartime production totaled 3,180 basic models.

Early experience with the C–46 saddled it with a poor reputation. Beset at first by hydraulic failures and related problems, it became known as a “plumber’s nightmare.” The C–46 was temperamental to fly; its instability at slow speeds made it unsuitable for airdrop missions at low altitudes, and loading the aircraft called for a careful distribution of weights and balance. But despite an initial distaste for the C–46 among ATC aircrews, it soon gained devoted adherents. Aircrews came to appreciate its big cargo doors and roomy fuselage. The C–46 had excellent visibility, comfortable seats that were adjustable, and power-assisted hydraulic controls that eased pilot strain on long missions. Factory design changes and operational experience mitigated a spate of early complaints about engines and pesky maintenance problems as crews integrated the C–46 into their military duties.