CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO
C-46 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Curtiss-Wright Corp., Airplane Division, Buffalo, New York, USA |
| Model: | CW-20 |
| Designations: | C-46; C-55, C-113, R5C |
| Name: | Commando |
| First official flight: | (CW-20) 26/03/1940 |
| Factory production period: | 1940 - 1945 |
| Primary service period: | 1942 - 1953 |
| Last official flight: | (C-46D) 06/1968 |
C-46 VARIANTS
| 1940 | Model CW-20 | CW-20 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
| 1942 | Model CW-20A | C-46 | 25 | Total: 0025 |
| 1942 | Model CW-20B | C-46A | 1493 | |
| 1944 | Model CW-20B-2 | C-46D | 1410 | Total: 2903 |
| 1945 | Model CW-20B-3 | C-46E | 17 | |
| 1945 | Model CW-20B-4 | C-46F | 234 | |
| 1945 | Model CW-20B-5 | C-46G | 1 | Total: 0252 |
|
Grand Total: 3181 |
C-46 PRODUCTION
CW-20
Prototype twin engined civil transport, twin tail, pressurized.
1941, impressed into service as C-55-CS with single tail.
Produced 1940
Curtiss St. Louis, Missouri (CS)
| NX19436 (civil reg.) | 101 |
1 |
Total: 0001 |
C-46
As CW-20, troop transport, single tail, engine upgrade.
Produced 1942
Curtiss Buffalo, New York (CU)
| 41-5159 / 41-5183 | 26361 / 26385 | 25 | Total: 0025 |
C-46A
As C-46, cargo doors, folding seats for troops, 4-bladed props.
Produced 1942 - 1945
Curtiss Louisville, Kentucky (CK)
| 43-46955 / 43-47304 | 26 / 375 | ||
|
43-47315 / 43-47402 - 1 airframe c/n not applied. |
386 / 472 |
438 |
Curtiss St. Louis, Missouri (CS)
| 43-46953, 43-46954 | 24, 25 | ||
| 43-47305 / 43-47314 | 376 / 385 |
12 |
Curtiss Buffalo, New York (CU)
| 41-5184 / 41-5204 | 26386 / 26406 | ||
| 41-12280 / 41-12433 | 26407 / 26560 | ||
| 41-24640 / 41-24775 | 26561 / 26696 | ||
| 42-3564 / 42-3683 | 26697 / 26816 | ||
| 42-60942 / 42-61091 | 26817 / 26966 | ||
|
42-96529 / 42-96828 - 271 as C-46A-CU. - 29 as C-46D-CU. |
30191 / 30490 | ||
|
42-101036 / 42-101235 - 67 as C-46A-CU. - 133 as C-46D-CU. |
30492 / 30690 | ||
| 42-107280 / 42-107399 | 26967 / 27086 | ||
| 44-77444, 44-77446 | 32840, 32842 |
1041 |
Higgins New Orleans, Louisiana (HI)
| 43-43339, 43-43340 | 1, 2 |
2 |
Total: 1493 |
| 498 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-46D
As C-46A, troop carrier, double rear paratroop doors.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Curtiss Buffalo, New York (CU)
| 162 mixed with C-46A-CU s/n. | |||
| 44-77295 / 44-77443 | 32691 / 32839 | ||
| 44-77445 | 32841 | ||
| 44-77447 / 44-78344 | 32843 / 33740 | ||
| 44-78345 / 44-78544 | 22168 / 22367 | 1410 | Total: 1410 |
C-46E
As C-46D, stepped windscreen, squared wingtips,
single cargo door, 3-bladed props.
Produced 1945
Curtiss St. Louis, Missouri (CS)
| 43-47403 / 43-47419 | 2929 / 2945 | 17 | Total: 0017 |
| 533 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-46F
As C-46E, rounded nose, double cargo doors,
engine upgrade.
Produced 1945
Curtiss Buffalo, New York (CU)
| 44-78545 / 44-78778 | 22368 / 22601 | 234 | Total: 0234 |
| 166 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-46G
As C-46E, double cargo doors, engine upgrade.
Produced 1945
Curtiss Buffalo, New York (CU)
| 44-78945 | 22768 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
| 599 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-46I
- Not used.
C-46J
- Projected production version of C-46E, cancelled.
XC-46K
- Projected production version of C-46F, cancelled.
|
Grand Total: 3181 |
C-46 CONVERSIONS
Military Conversions
USAAF / USAF
| TC-46A | 1+ | C-46A, crew trainers. |
| EC-46A | 1+ | C-46A, "E"xempt airframes, also used for aircraft doing airways checks. |
| ZEC-46A | 1 | EC-46A, 1948, "E"xempt / "obsolete" aircraft. |
| ZC-46A | 1+ | C-46A, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete". |
| XC-46A | 1 | C-46A(43-46956), temporary conversion for development tests. |
| XC-46B | 1 | Model CW-20B-1 C-46A (43-46953), 1943, stepped windscreen, engine upgrade. |
| XC-46C | 2 | C-46A, RATO (Rocket-Assisted Take-Off) conversions. |
| EC-46D | 3 | C-46A, 1973-1978, foreign designation for ECM trainers with the JASDF. |
| TC-46D | 15 | C-46D, crew trainers. |
| ZC-46E | 17 | XC-46E, 1946, redesignation as "obsolete", sold to a civil operator. |
| C-46H | 1 |
C-46A(42-107294), 1946, more powerful version of C-46F. Production for 300 cancelled. |
| XC-46L | 3 |
Model CW-20H C-46A, 1945, engine upgrade. |
| C-55 | 1 | Model CW-20T CW-20, 1941, Curtiss prototype impressed into USAAF service. New s/n: 41-21041, later to England with BOAC (G-AGDI civil reg.). Scrapped in 1943. |
| XC-113 | 1 |
C-46G, 1945-1948, 1 turboprop engine fitted for testing. Redesignated ZXC-113 in 1948 as "obsolete". |
US Navy
| R5C-1 | 160 |
C-46A, 1942-1950's, aircraft in service with the USMC. Assigned BuNo. 39492 / 39611, 50690 / 50729. 10 additional conversions cancelled. |
| (R5C-1T) | 1+ | R5C-1, 1954, crew trainers. |
| (R5C-1Z) | 1+ | R5C-1, 1946, VIP / staff transports. |
Civil Conversions
L.B. Smith Aircraft Corp., California
conversions:
Smith Super 46-C
- 1955, performance upgrades for civil applications.
Smith CW-20T
- 1956, engine upgrade, various improvements.
Riddle Airlines Inc., Florida conversion:
Riddle C-46R
- 1956, performance upgrades for civil applications.
Three versions: C-46R-1, C-46R-5, C-46R-10.
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- Many sold to foreign military services post WW2.
- Many sold on civil market as freighters or airliners.