The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company publicity. [2] .

Billed by Curtiss as the “Sub-Stratosphere Transport”, the airplane that became the C-46 military transport was actually intended to be a 36 passenger airliner with a pressurized cabin. It was an attempt to compete with that other famous airliner of the 1930’s - the Douglas DC-3.

Sep 26, 2023 · Designed to compete with the Douglas DC-4 and Boeing 307 Stratoliner, the Curtiss C-46 Commando was supposed to be a pressurized high-altitude airliner that could fly non-stop between New York and Chicago. When Curtiss started work on the Curtiss C-46 Commando, a future war in Europe was unimportant to the non-interventionist United States.

During World War II, the USAAF accepted 3,144 C-46s for hauling cargo and personnel and for towing gliders. Of this total, 1,410 were C-46Ds. The C-46 gained its greatest fame during WWII transporting war materials over the "Hump" from India to …

Basic design for the airliner Curtiss Wright CW-20, began in 1936. This was later to become the C-46. At that time the Boeing 247 was the most prominent airliner, powered by 2 600 hp Pratt & Whitney engines and seating 10 passengers.

It was America's largest and heaviest twin-engine transport in World War II. The C-46 was a low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear and could obtain a top seed of 269 mph with an operational range of 1,200 miles. However, normal payload for middle distances was four tons.

It is an eighteen-cylinder air-cooled twin-row radial piston engine with two poppet valves per cylinder, a variable-speed supercharger, one Stormberg injection carburetor, and an air-cooling system. It produces a maximum thrust of 2,000 hp and drives four-bladed Curtiss Electric constant-speed propellers.

May 21, 2018 · Design specifications called for the Commando to feature a pressurized cabin for up to 36 combat-ready troops, longer range than anything available to the USAAF (United States Army Air Forces) and an above average cruising speed.

The C-46 Commando was a twin-engine transport aircraft used primarily by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II and continued in service with the United States Air Force (USAF) and other air forces around the world post-war.

C46 - Typical cruising speed 300km/h (162kt). Range with 2585kg (5700lb) payload 1880km (1017nm). C46R - Max speed 435km/h (235kt), max cruising speed 378km/h (204kt).