CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO

In the late 1930’s, recognising the burgeoning demand for fast and comfortable, high-altitude passenger aircraft, Curtiss-Wright developed a prototype that was hoped to set a new standard in pressurised airliners.

Originally known as the CW-20, the design incorporated a new patented fuselage commonly referred to as the ‘figure-eight’ or ‘double bubble’ which enabled the aircraft to better withstand different pressures at higher altitudes.

Unlike the standard ‘circular’ fuselage cross sections of the day, Curtiss-Wright developed a fuselage that ‘creased’ inwards at the floor level separating the passenger and cargo sections of the aircraft, allowing both sections to share the structural stresses of each other rather than having to bare them alone. 

Rejecting the four engine configuration favoured by Boeing’s new Stratoliner and the recently introduced Douglas DC-4, Wright opted for a twin-engine design which they believed would have significantly lower operating costs and allow for a less complicated airframe. 

The new concept was presented to the public at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and although Wright had received a number of letters of intent from various airline companies, no firm orders eventuated.

Undaunted, Wright managed to sell their original prototype to the USAAF who quickly saw the airliner's potential as a military cargo transport and in late 1940, ordered 46 modified CW-20s.

Renamed the C-46 Commando, none of the aircraft were pressurised and after some extensive modifications including replacing the Cyclone engines with the more powerful 2000HP Pratt & Whitney R-2800s, the aircraft went into full war-time production.

Other modifications also included enlarged cargo doors, a strengthened floor section and a convertible cabin that could be quickly changed between carrying troops or freight.

Unfortunately the C-46 initially suffered from a number of mechanical and electrical problems, resulting in the military’s heavier reliance on the more robust C-47 Skytrain to shoulder much of its combat demands.

It did find its niche however in the China-Burma-India theatre, quickly becoming the primary USAAF cargo workhorse flying over the Himalaya Mountains ("The Hump’ ) transporting desperately needed supplies and troops to China from bases in India.

Almost completely cut off by the Japanese invasion, Chinese forces were totally dependant on their distant Allies with a variety of transports being pressed into service but the C-46 quickly proved to be the only aircraft capable of handling the wide range of adverse conditions.

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. 

Flights over the Hump began in April 1942 when the Army flew gasoline and oil to China for planned use by Doolittle's Raiders following their attack on Tokyo.

Under the control of AAF's Air Transport Command (ATC) after Dec. 1, 1942, the India-China Wing of the ATC slowly increased its lift over the Hump from 2,800 tons in February 1943 to more than 12,000 tons a month in early 1944 and 71,000 tons in July 1945. Although the Hump operation cost the lives of some 800 flyers, it kept China in the war. 

The Commando's powerful engines enabled it to climb faster with heavy loads, staying aloft on one engine if not overloaded but despite these advantages, the C-46 was often referred to as the ‘Flying Coffin’ with more than 31 instances of unexplained fires or explosions in flight during the closing years of the war with many more simply disappearing and never found.

Eventually the USAAF managed to track these airborne explosions to the pooling of gasoline in the aircraft’s wings which was not uncommon in many service aircraft. 

Unlike other service aircraft, the C-46 Commando’s wings were unventilated and minor leaks from the tanks and fuel system had nowhere to drain and simply built up between the wing spars waiting for any deadly spark from an open contact electrical component.

Meanwhile, in Europe it was the Douglas C-41 Skytrain that bore the brunt of Allies combat commitments, with the Commando relegated mainly to non-combat supply and transportation.

The wisdom of this was to be tragically demonstrated when 72 of C-46 Commandos were deployed to support the largest paratrooper offensive of the War as the Allies began their crossing of the Rhine River into the heart of Germany. 

Code named 'Operation Varsity’ an alarming 19 C-46s were lost in the paratroop drop resulting in an edict forbidding the aircraft to be used in any further airborne operations.

In the Commando’s defence however, Operation Varsity was flown at extremely low level during daylight over some of Germany’s heaviest concentration of large calibre anti-aircraft batteries firing explosive, incendiary and armour-piercing ammunition.

Unlike the Skytrain, the C-46 was neither fitted with self sealing fuel tanks or armed - exposing it and it’s crews to a significantly higher risk. Watch some incredible newsreel footage of the C-46 Commandos in that operation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_sEPZrDwn0

Also used as a supply and medivac transport in the South Pacific theatre of war, the C-46 continued flying after the war as a commercial passenger and cargo carrying transport becoming a common sight across the small airlines of South America - especially in the more remote and mountainous areas (where a good climb rate and high service ceiling were required).

Officially retired by the US in 1968, the Japanese Air Defence Force continued using the aircraft until 1978 and two Commandos were said to be still in use in Manitoba, Canada up until Jan 2016. 

All Curtiss C46 Commando Instruments listed below come complete with a detailed, custom-built Scale Model of the Curtiss C46 Commando Aircraft on its Magnetic Display Arm; Mango Wood Display Stand & Plaque, plus Printed Fact Sheet featuring photo of instrument in aircraft cockpit - as shown in this Bristol Beaufort example opposite:

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  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO, LIQUIDOMETER

    Rare Curtiss C-46 Commando, Liquidometer Corp, EA124-26 Aft Wing Tank...

    $750.00
  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO TRIM TAB

    Rare and original Curtiss C-46 Elevator Trim Tab Wheel

    $830.00
  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO GENERAL ELECTRIC TYPE DJII FLAP POSITION INDICATOR

    Rare Curtiss C-46 Commando, General Electric Type DJII Flap Position...

    $680.00
  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO, SQUARE D TYPE B6, DUEL IGNITION MAGNETO SWITCH

    Rare Curtiss C-46 Commando, Square D, Duel Engine Magneto Switch

    $880.00
  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO FRIEND OR FOE (IFF) RADIO DESTRUCT SWITCH

    Original Curtiss C-46 Commander BC-765 Friend or Foe IFF) Radio...

    $550.00
  • CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO ARMY TYPE E-1 AMMETER

    Rare Curtiss C-46 Commando, Army Type E-1 Ammeter

    $750.00