The Curtiss C-46 Commando was a twin-engine military transport developed from the CW-20 commercial-airliner project. Deliveries to the U.S. Army Air Forces began in July 1942. It became particularly associated with transporting supplies from India to China across the Himalayan route known as the Hump.[1]
Civil origins and military adaptation
The CW-20 prototype flew in March 1940. Curtiss had intended it as a pressurized competitor to the Douglas DC-3, but military demand led to an unpressurized transport version. The Army initially ordered 200 aircraft. The Commando subsequently served both troop-carrier units and the long-distance air-transport organization.[2]
The C-46A used two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines and normally carried a pilot, copilot, aerial engineer and radio operator. Its large fuselage accommodated cargo, troops or stretcher patients. The Air Mobility Command Museum lists a 16,000-pound cargo capacity for its C-46A configuration, considerably exceeding the typical load of the smaller C-47.[2]
The Hump
C-46 operations over the Hump began in May 1943 after Japanese advances had closed the Burma Road. Its greater carrying capacity and high-altitude performance were valuable on this route, but severe weather, difficult terrain and mechanical demands made the operation hazardous. The aircraft required substantial maintenance and suffered a high loss rate under these conditions.[1]
Other operations and later service
In Europe, Commandos dropped paratroopers during the Rhine crossing in March 1945. They also supported United Nations forces during the Korean War. Many subsequently passed to other countries or civilian freight operators, particularly in South America. The C-46D preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force remained in American service in Panama until 1968, showing how long the design continued beyond its wartime role.[1][2]