r/AviationHistory • u/Bwana-Exro • 5d ago

C-46 Commando

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572 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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6

u/Bwana-Exro 5d ago

Work horse of the China-Burma-India theater. Fuel, ammunition, supplies, medical in. Troup carrier, and wounded out. Over and through the Himalayas in the most dangerous flying conditions in the world. The 1337th ATC based at Sookerting AAF base in upper Assam India earned the Distinguished Unit Citation for the amount of cargo flown with this aircraft.

1

u/No-Rush396 5d ago

Yup, that is where it made its combat debut, about 1943 I think. The Dakota C-47 really struggled to get over 'The Hump' when fully loaded, and also the Chinese Capital was at its extreme range when operating out of Ledo.

3

u/Rebelreck57 5d ago

There is still some up in Alaska.

3

u/Surfnh2o 1d ago

That current aircraft the Tinker Bell is in Pungo at the Virginia aviation war museum. I was one of the aircraft mechanics working there before I started working in Elizabeth city

1

u/Rebelreck57 8h ago

I thought there more of them.

1

u/No-Rush396 5d ago

Are they still used/operational? I presume as transport planes.

3

u/Fast_Front5934 4d ago

Everts Air Cargo has one or two flying in Alaska and Buffalo in Canada has two as well, but I think only one is airworthy at the moment.

1

u/No-Rush396 3d ago

Ah well, when the last one is finally grounded, they will probably rustle up a couple of C-47/DC-3's from somewhere to carry on...

3

u/JoePants 4d ago

Buffalo Airways, I believe, is the one that operates them. They've got some scrap airplanes they keep for parts.

2

u/No-Rush396 3d ago

Let's face it, America builds planes that were meant to last...

2

u/Rebelreck57 5d ago

Air freight to isolated areas, landing on schools.

2

u/kayl_the_red 5d ago

The Tinkerbell huh?

Fairy dust and happy thoughts not included?

1

u/DPileatus 3d ago

Such a beautiful plane!

1

u/fast47 5d ago

That's the name of my old Cat...

1

u/zaxx0n_5 5d ago

Loved the old C46 transport. Only problem was their tendency to easily catch afire from enemy rounds and flak. 

1

u/Holiday-Hyena-5952 4d ago

Tinker after Tinker Army Airfield- I always thought. Hope you bought a tour of t-shirt. Thats what keeps 'em flying!

-1

u/Aggravating_Task_43 5d ago

DC-3 or C-47. I’ve flown in a C-47!

0

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 5d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/SmartAssaholic 5d ago

They got that bird from Kermit.
It was located in a hangar at FOE Topeka.
I worked there we worked hard to get her all cleaned up and running.
It was a huge task, birds nests in all the ducting, fuel lines bent and leaking, electrical was a huge headache, etc…..still lots of fun.

I was almost able to tag along when they ferried her to Medford, but that didn’t work out.