Curtiss C-46 Commando

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It strikes me as unusual that this aircraft was not used in the Berlin airlift. What makes it more intriguing is that Gen William Tunner, who had been in charge of the airlift from India to China during the war (he even flew a C-46 on the route) was brought in to sort things out in Berlin with the air supply operation when it was going a bit pear-shaped. Maybe the C-46s were busy? The airlift saw C-82 and even the big C-74 Globemaster, but no C-46s.
 
Curtiss CW-20 MSN 101 c/r NX19436, 41-21041 first flight Mar 2t, 1940. Purchased by USAAF Jun 20, 1941. Returned to Curtiss as NX19436. Sold to BOAC as G-AGDI Sept 1941 and named "Spirit of St Louis". Scrapped in UK Oct 29, 1943





WWII: CURTISS C.W. 20 CYCLONE (O.U.O) ORIGINAL AIR MINISTRY PHOTO APRIL 1942 | eBay

CURTISS C.W. 20 CYCLONE. ORIGINAL AIR MINISTRY PHOTO. AIR MINISTRY REF: 10,840 C. APRIL 1942. USED condition w/ minor bends top left/right corners.
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This photo from Post #48 bugged me when it was first posted. The two guys on the left looked like they were photo-shopped in and the lack of shadows with the right line of soldiers


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Here is the same photo from LIFE magazine, 3 Aug. 1942


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We now have a few extra shadows for the right column and four personnel at the cargo door
 
Peter Gunn said:
FWIW the bottom one looks more "real" than the top one, but that isn't saying much.
Click to expand...
The harsh sunlight, and the fact that it is almost back lit does not help with details of the picture. Look at the man standing at the forward part of the cargo door, it almost looks like he was cut off.

fuber57 Thanks for taking the time to look for the original. I agree that the top picture looks to be altered at 1st glance. But it is the effect of the lighting and some sort of filter that was used originally.
 
From memory I think the C-46's were more troublesome than either the C-47 or C54, something about engine overheats and other fire related issues and if I remember correctly, a maintenance nightmare. I think the Air Force phased them out as fast as they could after World War II.
 
Peter Gunn said:
From memory I think the C-46's were more troublesome than either the C-47 or C54, something about engine overheats and other fire related issues and if I remember correctly, a maintenance nightmare.
Click to expand...

Possibly, but the airlift aircraft suffered from their accelerated usage, the Avro Yorks in particular and their Merlins really didn't like the conditions they were operated under and engine replacements were frequently conducted. It could be maintenance issues, but it seems unusual that the type wasn't used since such a variety of other big lifters found their way to Berlin.
 
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