Curtiss C-46 Commando
| C-46 Commando | |
|---|---|
| A wartime photograph of a U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-46 Commando | |
| General information | |
| Type | Military transport aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | |
| Status | Active in limited civilian use |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Forces |
| Number built | 3,181 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1940–1945 |
| Introduction date | 1941 |
| First flight | 26 March 1940 |
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company publicity. It was used primarily as a cargo aircraft during World War II, with fold-down seating for military transport and some use in delivering paratroops. Mainly deployed by the United States Army Air Forces, it also served the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps, which called it R5C. The C-46 filled similar roles as its Douglas-built counterpart, the C-47 Skytrain, with some 3,200 C-46s produced to approximately 10,200 C-47s.
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 and the C-46 was soon relegated to cargo duty. The type continued in U.S. Air Force service in a secondary role until 1968. 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.