Curtiss C-46 Commando survivors

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C-46D 44-77635 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona on January 16, 1971. Its Curtiss construction number is 33031. Examples of many of the aircraft types that had been relegated to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center were displayed on the perimeter of the base along Golf Links Road. The aircraft later formed the nucleus of the Pima County Air Museum adjacent to the base.

C-46F Super C of Intermountain Airways at Marana Airpark, Arizona on January 16, 1971. Intermountain Airways was formed by the Central Intelligence Agency to perform covert operations in 1963. The registration of this Commando is N9900Z. Its Curtiss construction number is 26593. It was upgraded to "T" category C-46 with single stage superchargers and hydraulic boosted ailerons, so that it could carry passengers as well as cargo. It was formerly registered N4086A. It was acquired by Evergreen Airlines when they purchased Intermountain Airways in October 1975. Evergreen operated it until February 1978. Challenge International Airlines acquired it in June 1978 but ceased operations in the late 1980s. N9900Z may have recently changed hands again.

This C-46 was used to support operations by the CIA.

C-46F Super C, probably N9900Z of Intermountain Airways at Marana Airpark, Arizona on February 11, 1972.

C-46D, 44-77635 at the Pima County Air Museum on March 31, 1974. It was painted silver while in Air Force service. The red bars of the national insignia have weathered away completely.

C-46D, 44-77635 at the Pima County Air Museum on December 18, 1979. It had been restored to World War II period olive drab over gray. It was given the name Syracuse Shackrat.

C-46F, N53594 of the Southern California Wing of the Confederate Air Force at Camarillo on October 16, 1982. It served the Army Air Force as 44-78663. It was named Humpty Dumpty and carried the markings of the China Air Service Command. Its Curtiss construction number is 22486.

Link to the web site of the Southern California Wing of the Confederate Air Force.

C-46D, 44-77559 in Bob's Air Park near Davis-Monthan AFB on December 19, 1984. Its Curtiss construction number is 32955. It was trucked to the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino, California in the summer of 2001.

Link to the Planes of Fame web site.

C-46F, N53594 at Pt Mugu NWC on October 27, 1985 just after it was painted silver and named China Doll. It wears its original Army Air Force serial number on its tail.

C-46F, N53594 on approach to landing at Pt Mugu on October 12, 1990.

C-46D, 44-77575 at the Castle AFB Museum near Merced, California on September 17, 1992. Its Curtiss construction number is 32971. It served in the Japan Air Self Defense Force as 51-1124. It appears on the civil register as N54510.

Link to the Castle Air Museum page about their C-46D Commando.

C-46F, N53594 takes off at Nellis AFB, Nevada on April 25, 1997.

C-46F, N53594 at Nellis AFB on April 25, 1997.

C-46D, 44-77635 at the Pima Air Museum on November 26, 1997.

C-46D, 44-78018 at the US Air Force Museum on August 17, 1998. Its Curtiss construction number is 33414.

Link to the Air Force Museum page about their C-46D Commando.

C-46A, N74173 at the Yanks Air Museum at Chino on April 29, 2001. Its Army Air Force serial number was 43-47218. It was owned previously by Southwest Aviation of Las cruses, New Mexico. It was flown to Chino in 2000. Its Curtiss construction number is 289.

C-46F, N53594 China Doll was recently joined at Camarillo by C-46F, N78774 Tinker Bell. They are seen here on November 3, 2001.

The instrument panel of C-46F, N53594 at Camarillo on November 3, 2001

C-46F, N78774 Tinker Bell at Camarillo on November 3, 2001. It will be at Camarillo for the better part of a year for an overhaul.

C-46F, N78774 Tinker Bell at Camarillo on November 3, 2001. It wears its original Army Air Force serial number, 44-78774. Its Curtiss construction number is 22597.

C-46D, 44-77635 at the Pima Air Museum on November 23, 2001.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N78774 Tinker Bell at the Camarillo Arishow on August 11, 2002.

C-46F, N53594 China Doll at the Camarillo Arishow on August 11, 2002.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Dollon approach to land at Hawthorne on August 15, 2003.

China Doll at Hawthorne on August 15, 2003.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N78774 Tinker Bell and C-46F, N53594 China Doll at Camarillo on August 23, 2003.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Edwards Air Force Base on October 24, 2003.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Chino on May 16, 2004.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at NAS Point Mugu on September 18, 2004.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Santa Paula on August 6, 2005.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll on approach to the Hawthorne Airport on August 12, 2005.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Camarillo on August 26, 2005.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll has been christened Camarillo Commando. Saturday, August 27, 2005 was its sixtieth birthday.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Camarillo on June 12, 2006.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Camarillo on August 19, 2006.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Chino on May 20, 2007.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Camarillo on June 11, 2007.

Cockpit of Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Gillespie Field, el Cajon, California on June 15, 2007.

Curtiss C-46F Commando, N53594 China Doll at Gillespie Field, el Cajon, California on June 16, 2007.

Curtiss C-46 Commando survivors

C-46 Commando

Wingspan: 108 feet

Length: 76 feet

Wing Area: 1,360 square feet

Maximum Weight: 56,000 pounds

Maximum Payload: 10,000 pounds, 50 troops

Maximum Range: 1,200 miles

Powerplant: 2x 2,000 hp R-2800-51 radial engines