C-46 Commando
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| C-46 Commando | ||
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| Description | ||
| Role | Cargo transport | |
| Crew | 4 + 50 passengers | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 76 ft 4 in | 23.27 m |
| Wingspan | 108 ft 1 in | 32.9 m |
| Height | 21 ft 9 in | 6.63 m |
| Wing area | 1,360 ft² | 126.8 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 32,400 lb | 14,696 kg |
| Loaded | ||
| Maximum take-off | 48,000 lb | 21,772 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 2-row, 18-cylinder radial piston | |
| Power | 2,000 hp | |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 269 mph | 433 km/h |
| Ferry range | 2,950 mi | 4,748 km |
| Service ceiling | 27,600 ft | 8,410 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,300 ft/min | 396 m/min |
The Curtiss C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Force during World War II.
Also known to the men who flew them as "The Whale". The C-46 served a similar role as its brother the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, but was not quite as famous or as heavily produced. The Navy/Marine Corps version was known as the R5C.
This aircraft had a patented fuselage conventionally referred to as a "figure of eight" which enabled it to better withstand the pressure differential at high altitudes. This was done by having the sides of the fuselage creased at the level of the floor that not only separated the two portions but shared in the stress of each, rather than just supporting itself. As a result, this aircraft could carry more cargo higher than other Allied aircraft, and was used to carry cargo over the Himalayas.
Variants
- C-46A
- CX-46B
- XC-46C
- C-46D
- C-46E
- C-46F
- C-46G
- C-46H
- C-46J
- XC-46K
- XC-46L
Units Using the C-46
United States Army Air Force
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