The Flickr Curtisscommando Image Generatr

N4803J Curtiss C-46A Commando Atorie Air Cargo

last with Buffalo Air Cargo as C-GTXW

(slide scan)

42-101198 has served in Pakistan, India, Colombia, Chile, USA and in later years Haiti.

She was acquired by the Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins in Georgia from 1991.

Provincial Archives of Alberta, WS.337.

From the Wells Photographic Studios fonds.

Marked as 77552 this Curtiss C-46D Commando from the mid-forties is really number 44-77424. She also spent some twenty-five years with the Japan Self Defence Force from 1955 until 1980.

Seen on display at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

San Juan PR April 1989.

Republic of Korea Air Force Curtiss Commando on display at the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul.

The C-46 was introduced in 1941, primarily as a cargo aircraft. This aircraft was built in 1944 for the USAF and transferred to the ROKAF in 1968.

26Sep2012

Photo taken by Klaus Mohr, scan kindly provided by Klaus Held for inclusion on this page.


München-Riem
1968/1969

N9891Z
Curtiss C-46D Commando
33242
Lufthansa (leased from Capitol Airways)

N9891Z was frequently seen at Riem during its lease from Capitol Airways between March 1964 and November 1969. The first report I have of the aircraft at the airport is from 17 October 1964, the last one from 17 January 1969.

This C-46was still active as C-FAVO with Buffalo Airways in summer 2023, wearing the Lufthansa crane logo on its nose!

Information from flickr - thanks to Vernon Harvey:
Delivered to the US Army Air Force in Feb 1945 as 44-77846. It took up a civilian career as N9891Z starting with Capitol Air in Feb 1961, leased to Lufthansa between Mar 1964 - Nov 1969 (the only European airline to fly the C46), then Shamrock Airlines Jan 1973, Ortner Air Service Apr 1974, Trans Continental in 1976, Detroit Institute of Aeronautics Mar 1978, Landy Taylor Aircraft Sales May 1979 and Evans Aviation the same month. Took up current reg C-FAVO in Jan 1988 with Northland Air, then Air Manitoba Jul 1993 and Buffalo Airways in Jun 2002.


Registration details for this airframe:
www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/N9891Z/773598

Colour shot of N9891Z with Lufthansa at STR in July 1965:
www.airhistory.net/photo/11057/N9891Z

N9891Z with Capitol Airways at THF in October 1969 (no titles):
www.airhistory.net/photo/440797/N9891Z

N9891Z with Ortner Air Service in July 1975 (all silver):
www.flickr.com/photos/propfreak/52615020583

N9891Z all silver at Boston Brook, New Brunswick, Canada in June 1976:
www.airhistory.net/photo/507430/N9891Z/44-77846

This airframe as C-FAVO with Air Winnipeg at YWG in May 1988 (Lufthansa crane on the nose):
www.airhistory.net/photo/187794/C-FAVO

C-FAVO with Buffalo Airways at YZF in September 2014 - close-up of the Lufthansa crane on the nose, paying homage to the fact that it flew for the German airline back in 1964:
www.flickr.com/photos/andyv_aviation/30996808964

C-FAVO with Buffalo Airways landing at YZF in May 2023:
cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/713109_1690009445.jpg

C-FAVO with Buffalo Airways at YZF in June 2023:
www.flickr.com/photos/164902913@N02/53039209053


Scan from black-and-white print.

Although the flap has hidden the registration, I know this is SE-EDS on short finals to Southend on 07 Nov 1964. Built as a C-46A, it was delivered to the USAAF as 42-96563 in 1944 and eventually civilianised as N111E and converted to Super 46C before being delivered to Transair in 1962. It saw some service in the Congo with Transair Congo, but also 'domestic' freight duties with Transair Sweden, as here. It was withdrawn from use in Nov 1965, but a year later became PP-BUD and eventually CP-940. It was lost in a crash in Bolivia on 22 Apr 1972.
Photo: Richard John Goring (Transportraits)

Here is Transair's SE-CFE caught just at the moment of lift-off from Southend on 20 Oct 1965. Built as a C-46A, she was delivered to the USAAF in 1943 as 41-12346, but almost immediately was transferred to the US Navy as Bu39498. Demobbed in 1957, she was converted to Super 46C and sold to Transair in 1958. She spent time in the Congo with Transair Congo and on UN charters as well as domestic service with the Swedish parent such as here, before passing to Tor-Air not long after I took this picture. She passed on to Fairline Sweden before becoming 9Q-CZG in 1967 and was withdrawn from service in 1970.
Photo: Richard John Goring (Transportraits)

For the black & white photographer, Fred Olsen's C-46s, with their light blue lettering on the mustard background of the cabin roof were always a bit of a challenge. Not so for those shooting in colour, or for the Mk. 1 eyeball! Here I have managed, just about, to capture both the registration of LN-FOP and the roof titles as she gets ready to become airborne at Southend on 10 May 1967. Built as a C-46A and delivered to the USAAF in 1944 as 42-107362, upon demob she became one of those interesting assortment of aircraft to join the N9xxxF register of US machines permanently based overseas as N9887F and while such was converted to C-46R standard, passing to Olsen in 1957. She enjoyed a long spell with Olsen before moving on to XW-PHL in 1971, then N335CA and operated in southeast Asia, nominally based at Singapore, where she was eventually broken up in the early 1980s.
Photo: Richard John Goring (Transportraits)

Around 1964 a new Swedish airline, Tor-Air, was formed and eventually acquired a couple of former Transair C-46s, one of them being SE-CFD. Tor-Air ceased operations later that year but a new entity, Fairline, was swiftly formed to take over its operations using the same aircraft, and SE-CFD is seen in Fairline livery at Southend on a weak-sun, slushy 07Jan1967 on a freight run to and from Malmo. Fairline's existence was even shorter than that of Tor-Air, as it ceased flying later in 1967.
SE-CFD was built as a C-46A 42-3580 for the USAAF and delivered in Jan 1944, but went to the US Navy as Bu39526 the same month. It was sold off in Dec 1957 as N4096A, converted to Super 46C and sold to Transair in Apr 1958. While with TSA it was leased to the United Nations in 1962-3 and served with Transair Congo in early 1964. It passed to Tor-Air in Jul 1965 and to Fairline in Nov 1966 and became 9Q-CRP in Jan 1968. It was withdrawn from use in 1970 and scrapped some time thereafter.
Photo: Richard John Goring (Transportraits)

Around 1964 a new Swedish airline, Tor-Air, was formed and eventually acquired a couple of former Transair C-46s, one of them being SE-CFD, shown here lifting off from Southend on 05Jan1966. Tor-Air ceased operations later that year.
SE-CFD was built as a C-46A 42-3580 for the USAAF and delivered in Jan 1944, but went to the US Navy as Bu39526 the same month. It was sold off in Dec 1957 as N4096A, converted to Super 46C and sold to Transair in Apr 1958 and registered SE-CFD. While with TSA it was leased to the United Nations in 1962-3 and served with Transair Congo in early 1964. It passed to Tor-Air in Jul 1965 and to Fairline in Nov 1966 and became 9Q-CRP in Jan 1968. It was withdrawn from use in 1970 and scrapped some time thereafter.
Photo: Richard John Goring (Transportraits)

Republic of Korea Air Force Curtiss Commando on display at the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul.

26Sep2012

Photo taken by Artur Gagel, scan kindly provided for inclusion on this page.


München-Riem
ca. summer 1961

SE-CFB
Curtiss C-46C
98/CK75
Transair Sweden

SE-CFB is taxiing away from stand no. 5 - apparently a perfect photo position for shots from the old viewing platform at Riem.

History of this airframe from transairsweden.com:
Delivered new to US Army Air Force as 43-47027 on 29 October 1944 but transferred to the US Navy as 39600 the next day. After the war it was modified by LB Smith Aircraft Corporation in Miami (registered as N4165A). Transair bought the aircraft on June 8 1957 and it was delivered to Bromma Airport June 12 1957. 4 days later it made its first flight for Transair.
In September 1961 it was leased by the United Nations for operations in Congo where it made a landing accident in Albertville June 8 1962. The cockpit section from SE-CFB was used for repair of sister engine SE-CFC.

More details from airhistory.net:
Built at Louisville, Kentucky. To US Navy as an R5C-1, BuNo 39600. Converted to Super 46C by L B Smith Aircraft. To TransAir Sweden in 1957. Leased to UN in September 1961. Suffered a landing accident at Albertville (now Kalemie) on 8 June 1962. Dismantled by October 1962.

Registration details for this airframe:

SE-CFB with Transair Sweden ca. late 1950s (slightly different lettering):
www.transairsweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CFB-1-1...

SE-CFB with ONU following its landing accident at Albertville, Congo, in June 1962:
www.transairsweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CFB-2-1...

Removal of the cockpit section:
www.transairsweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CFB-3-1...


Here’s how the livery looked in colour (on SE-CFH):
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Transair_Swed...


Scan from unknown black&white film (print or negative).

Photo taken by Jürgen Lang, scan kindly provided by Wilhelm Hell for inclusion on this page.


München-Riem
ca. winter 1968/1969

N9890Z
Curtiss C-46D Commando
33111
Capitol Airways

N9890Z on a deserted wintery Riem ramp, leased to Lufthansa, but operating in full Capitol colours.

Information from bsl-mlh-planes.net:
As 44-77715, this Curtiss C-46D joined the United States Army Air Force (later US Air Force) in January 1945, where it remained in service until 1959, in contrast to hundreds of parked C-46s. Capitol Airways acquired the aircraft in February 1961 and transferred it to Europe along with other C-46s. From March 1964 to July 1969, N9890Z was leased to Lufthansa, but continued to carry its US registration and Capitol colors, so that it could also fly unhindered to Berlin-Tempelhof.

After July 1979, the aircraft went on to a string of US operators, was permanently withdrawn from use.and stored in 1979 and later scrapped. (Source: planelogger.com)

Registration details for this airframe:
www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/N9890Z/773310

N9890Z with Capitol Airways at THF in October 1965 (earlier colours):
www.airhistory.net/photo/390534/N9890Z

N9890Z with Butte Knitting Mills ca. 1970:
www.aerialvisuals.ca/Airframe/Gallery/0/100/0000100562.jpg

N9890Z at Panama-Tocumen airport in December 1971:
ruudleeuw.com/images/others/ronmak/up29aug20-n9890z-c46-r...

N9890Z at Brownfield TX in December 1977:
www.flickr.com/photos/zaneadams/45851146934
www.flickr.com/photos/zaneadams/44757098620


Scan from slide (unknown brand).

11th July 1995., Kenai, Alaska, United states

C-GTPO
MSN 22556
Engines: two 2,000 hp (1,419 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 radial piston engines,

Snapshot of the interior of one half of a cockpit of an unidentified U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft, showing the yoke in the cockpit as someone looks over a map somewhere in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Photograph taken or collected by U.S. Army Air Forces serviceman Everette H. Jones of Raleigh, NC, while he was serving with the 13th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces (undated).

From Everette H. Jones Papers, WWII 259, WWII Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.

Snapshot of members of a U.S. Army Air Forces ground crew using a forklift to load supplies into the back of a military aircraft at an unidentified Allied airfield somewhere in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Photograph taken or collected by U.S. Army Air Forces serviceman Everette H. Jones of Raleigh, NC, while he was serving with the 13th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces (undated).

From Everette H. Jones Papers, WWII 259, WWII Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.