C-46s 'n 47s [21/21] - douglas-c-47-skytrain.jpg (1/1)

---CURTISS C-46 COMMANDO:
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---spec-----------------metric-----------------english
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---wingspan----------------32.92 meters--------108 feet
---length------------------23.27 meters--------76 feet 4 inches
---height------------------6.63 meters---------21 feet 9 inches

---empty weight------------13,290 kilograms----29,300 pounds
---max loaded weight-------22,680 kilograms----50,000 pounds

---max speed at altitude---378 KPH-------------235 MPH / 205 KT
---service ceiling---------6,700 meters--------22,000 feet
---range-------------------2,900 kilometers----1,800 MI / 1,565 NMI
---_____________________---_________________---_______________________

"In addition to 40 troops, loads for the C-46A included 33 stretchers with
attendants, or 4,550 kilograms (10,000 pounds) of cargo. The Commando was the
largest twin-engine aircraft operated by the USAAF, and it fact its wingspan was
1.2 meters (4 feet) longer than that of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The
Commando's fully loaded weight was almost twice as much as that of a C-47."



---DOUGLAS C-47A DAKOTA:
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---spec--------------------metric--------------english
---_____________________---_________________---_______________________

---wingspan----------------29 meters-----------95 feet
---wing area---------------91.69 sq meters-----987 sq feet
---length------------------19.6 meters---------64 feet 2 inches
---height------------------5.16 meters---------16 feet 11 inches

---empty weight------------7,700 kilograms-----16,970 pounds
---max loaded weight-------11,800 kilograms----26,000 pounds

---maximum speed-----------370 KPH-------------230 MPH / 200 KT
---cruise speed------------298 KPH-------------185 MPH / 160 KT
---service ceiling---------7,070 meters--------23,200 feet
---range-------------------2,410 kilometers----1,500 MI / 1,305 NMI
---_____________________---_________________---_______________________

"In the cargo role, the interior was fitted with pulleys for moving up to a
total of 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds) of cargo. For paratroop operations, the
interior was fitted with 28 fold-down bucket seats hinged to the the walls. In
the medical evacuation ("medevac") role, the interior was fitted with
accommodations for 18 stretchers and three medics. Six parachute containers
could be attached to racks under the fuselage and released for airdrop supply
missions."

From http://www.usaaf-in-cbi.com/humpflyer/story_will.htm

I flew the Gooney Bird over the Hump, flew the C-46 in Africa and the Middle
East. Stationed at Cairo, same airfield where Sadat was assasinated. Climbed the
Great Pyramid at Gisa twice, was trying to climb the Sphynx when the cops caught
me and made me get down. It was legal to climb the pyramid but a reall No-No to
climb on the Sphynx! I think I would have been happier over the Hump in the C-46
- with a full load, and we never flew at less than full load, the C-47 would
only get 14,500 altitude. That was only a few thousand below the tops of the
mountains. Guess you could say we flew through, not over!

There was quite a difference between the C-46 and C-47. The C-46 had two R-2800
engines putting out 2000 horse power each and was the largest 2-engine plane in
existence at that time. The C-47 had two R-1830 engines of about 1100 horse
power. The big bird (referred to by most of us as Dumbo) had a gross take-off
weight of some 50,000 pounds while the 47 took off at about 33,000 pounds. These
are both listed weights and actual was frequently quite a bit more than that.
I'm told that in CBI C-46s operated at about 52,000 or 53,000 pounds. The C-46
used the same engines as the B-29, I think The cockpit of the 46 was 16 feet
above the ground, the 47 about 10 feet I remember the first B-29 I saw. I was in
the cockpit of a C-46 at Miami when we taxied past one and looked down on it! .

They were both "Tail Draggers" but the 46 had fully retractable gear while the
47 only eased the main gear up partially in the engine nacelles and the tail
wheel always was out.. The wings of the 47 were constructed to flex in rough air
(looked like FLAP to me!). The 46 was solid as a rock. The huge rudder made
taxiing in a cross wind a two man job. The 47 was a dream to fly, we jokingly
called it "The Twin-breasted Cub" and when empty would sometimes spin it on the
way back from China. It would pull itself out of a spin after about one turn,
would always make that one turn spin if you stalled it and didn't ride the
rudder to make it come down straight.

As you can well imagine, the C-46 took more take off and landing run than the
"Gooney Bird". My squadron flew into places along the Burma Road with equipment,
Bailey Bridge material and fuel for trucks and generators that the C-46s just
couldn't handle. We had one strip 1200 feet long at 9,000 feet elevation that we
went in to regularly. Even in North Africa and the Middle East we pulled full
power on take- off on the 46s. Obviously full power was pulled on both in CBI!

Those big engines gave the 46 another advantage - it would hold altitude at
fairly high elevation on one engine. The 47 wouldn't hold a decent altitude on
one as I found out the hard way by losing one over the Salween Ridge on solid
instruments one day. My co-pilot and radio operator jettisoned 15 drums of Avgas
in a much shorter time than I believed possible. We lost altitude all the way
back to Myitkyina and only had a few miles and a few hundred feet to spare when
we got back. Fortunately the tower gave us a straight in approach! They told us
that a 46 could actually take off on one engine when empty at essentially sea
level. I personaly wouldn't want to try it.




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