C-46 Commando "Curtiss Calamity"

[guncrasher]

Now you're repeating yourself ! (under stress?) ...
I WISH you were correct ... If you were, then each troop would be free to follow their own vector to the map room, and not just do the indian file thing regardless of where they are dropped... But, WHAT WE HAVE is a set of 10, they are linked ...

I don't understand either, why HT would LIMIT the scope of the game by making the statement being attributed to him ... I can only wonder if he's being misquoted or taken out of context as seems to occur frequently around here ...

drop 1 troop on one side of the town and another on the other side of town.  they will follow their own line to the maproom. 


semp

[EVZ]

-1 since it gives us no new useful capability - 

I think most people would find double the capacity -usefull-.

I'd rather see the Me-323 setting down behind enemy lines loaded up with a Sdkfz full of troops or a light tank.

This is an interesting idea too ... Could be VERY -usefull- against bases that don't have spawn in points.

[Babalonian]

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

 Specifications (C-46A):
        Engines: Two 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 radial piston engines
        Weight: Empty 30,000 lbs., Max Takeoff 45,000 lbs.
        Wing Span: 108ft. 0in.
        Length: 76ft. 4in.
        Height: 21ft. 9in.

 Performance:
        Maximum Speed: 270 mph
        Cruising Speed: 173 mph
        Ceiling: 24,500 ft.
        Range: 3,150 miles

 Armament:
        None
 
Built:
        3,000+

The C46A was originally a Civilian model Airliner and was taken by the military and modified it was given more powerful engines and a large cargo door on the port side of the fuselage, a strengthened cargo floor, a hydraulic winch and folding seats for up to 40 troops

   These planes were detrimental to the early part of the war in the Pacific. The planes and their 3-4 man crews (wasn't quite clear on that, some sources said 3 some said 4) flew resupply mission to China over "The Hump" (eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains). Japanese fighters were quite active in the area, and it was one of these flights that the C46 was credited with a kill on a Japanese Oscar.

"Captain Wally A. Gayda shot down at close range a Japanese fighter, apparently a Nakajima Ki-43, by firing a Browning automatic rifle through his C-46 front cabin window and killing the pilot." - http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/photo_albums/timeline/ww2/2/Curtiss%20Commando.htm

 It was continually used in in the Pacific to fairy Troops and Supplies form Island to Island. The C46A could carry more the twice the troops, or it could carry twice the cargo load as the C47

C46D Commando

paratrooper variant, fitted with an extra door on the port side, or a door on both sides (again conflicting sources) this allowed the  36 paratroopers to exit the plane more rapidly

The specifications for the plane are roughly the same as the C46A

Built:
       1,400+


  So i was thinking that if this were to get added it would be able to carry either two airfield supplies, 20 vehicle supplies, or 2 sets of 10 troops. I think that the troops would only be available in late war as the model that carried the paratroopers wasn't developed until around 1945 for operation varsity. The 2 sets of 10 troops should have a 15 to 30 second delay between the two sets so you can't just drop both sets at the same time. Though it should probably be perked

  Sources

http://www.warbirdalley.com/c46.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_C-46_Commando
http://www.armyhistory.org/ahf2.aspx?pgID=877&id=139&exCompID=56
http://www.vectorsite.net/avc46.html
http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/photo_albums/timeline/ww2/2/Curtiss%20Commando.htm


  I have my marshmellos and hot dogs ready for your replies

Bare minimum crew is three I think (Pilo, CoPilot and FD engineer that sat behind the two pilots) with the 4th-5th being in the compfy range and working in the back (navigator/radio/APU operator and the 5th being someone to handle the cargo).  There were a ton of levers and buttons and fuses up front, it was a 3-person cockpit.  The navigator sat imediatley behind the cockpit area, where he had access to a table, an observation dome (for celestial (sp?) navigation), radio sets and/or an APU generator.

I'd love to see the C-46 Commando added eventualy.

[talos]

I'd rather see the Me-323 setting down behind enemy lines loaded up with a Sdkfz full of troops or a light tank. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4L4TpQqsA

the Me 323 isn't a bad idea in fact it might be a lot of fun. The only thing is when you get into stuff like that you bring up all the "LST" style arguments, but i wouldn't mind seeing an ME 323 in game at some point.

Bare minimum crew is three I think (Pilo, CoPilot and FD engineer that sat behind the two pilots) with the 4th-5th being in the compfy range and working in the back (navigator/radio/APU operator and the 5th being someone to handle the cargo).  There were a ton of levers and buttons and fuses up front, it was a 3-person cockpit.  The navigator sat imediatley behind the cockpit area, where he had access to a table, an observation dome (for celestial (sp?) navigation), radio sets and/or an APU generator.

I'd love to see the C-46 Commando added eventualy.

Thank you 
 Like I siad the sources weren't quite clear on that, at least the ones I was using  .

[EVZ]

drop 1 troop on one side of the town and another on the other side of town.  they will follow their own line to the maproom. 

I think what happens is: troop 1 runs a straight line to the maproom ...Troop 2 needs to get behind troop 1 ... So he  runs to troop 1, if the maproom is in between it may appear that he is running a seperate vector, but he's just TRYING to get to the VECTOR he belongs on. By the time troop 2 gets to the map room, troop 1 is already inside. So, he follows him in... I suspect, it MAY be that the nearest troop to the map room is designated as troop 1.

[Babalonian]

the Me 323 isn't a bad idea in fact it might be a lot of fun. The only thing is when you get into stuff like that you bring up all the "LST" style arguments, but i wouldn't mind seeing an ME 323 in game at some point.

Thank you 
 Like I siad the sources weren't quite clear on that, at least the ones I was using  .

Well, it's all relative really, lol.  The C-46 served in a lot of different places and in different services (and still does fly commercialy in some countries today I think, or only recently stopped).  With a 3-person only crew, you'd have a lot of stuff going on in a cramped cockpit, and everybody except the pilot would have two jobs, and even then the pilot might have to take on some extra chores.  But then, you can free up the entire back for cargo, don't have to worry about supplying oxygen sources for high-alt stuff to anyone outside the imediate cockpit area, etc..  That's probabley why it cites 3-4, the back seaters were a luxury, likely only afforded to long-distance single-ship flights or lead/pathfinding AC in multiple-ship formations, or if the mission called for a (un-)loadmaster onboard.  Also back then, you have to realise a single radio set was larger than a man, and the mass of the tube-fuse boards and other old gear is massive.  A modern retrofit would allow room for 4-5 people in the cockpit (still kinda cramped), while freeing/simplifying the controls down to an easy job for two crew members, three tops. 

[talos]

Well, it's all relative really, lol.  The C-46 served in a lot of different places and in different services (and still does fly commercialy in some countries today I think, or only recently stopped).  With a 3-person only crew, you'd have a lot of stuff going on in a cramped cockpit, and everybody except the pilot would have two jobs, and even then the pilot might have to take on some extra chores.  But then, you can free up the entire back for cargo, don't have to worry about supplying oxygen sources for high-alt stuff to anyone outside the imediate cockpit area, etc..  That's probabley why it cites 3-4, the back seaters were a luxury, likely only afforded to long-distance single-ship flights or lead/pathfinding AC in multiple-ship formations, or if the mission called for a (un-)loadmaster onboard.  Also back then, you have to realise a single radio set was larger than a man, and the mass of the tube-fuse boards and other old gear is massive.  A modern retrofit would allow room for 4-5 people in the cockpit (still kinda cramped), while freeing/simplifying the controls down to an easy job for two crew members, three tops. 

you certainly know a lot about this plane  

  But I there is one thing I would like to know, that I could seem to find in any of the sources that i looked at.  Did the C46 ever airdrop supplies during the war? Or did it never have the ability because of the way the doors opened?

[Babalonian]

I'll have to look it up for dates, I don't know, or how widespread by then.  I think there was a later post-original-production modification needed to the back cargo door/hatch for airdrops and maybe the zipline, but I don't know any of the specifics off-hand.


Thanks!  I love the older planes and aviation and love volunteering at a local museum, which conveniently has a Commando parked on its ramp (hasn't flown in a couple years, some AD out on the props - something like 10-20grand a blade to fix, three blades a prop, two props..... anywhoot).  I'm gonna try to remember and ask if they're going to fire her up and run the engines anytime soon the next time I go, it's 'bout the only thing exciting that gets to happen with her these days.


That reminds me, big antique birds and all, a couple weeks ago they flew out the Lockheed Constellation here at Camarillo Airport to Chino (one of the museums out there purchased it) and I got some amateure footage of it that I never took off my camera yet, (probabley the last time one will ever fly, lord knows).

[talos]

if you do find out the info about the C46 pls let me know, and i will continue looking on my end.

  The Constellation is a very odd looking plane on the ground.... well its an odd looking plane in the sky too   , but I would love to see one in person even if it is a grounded plane. I kinda have a thing for the odder looking planes that came out of the WWII era.

[Tupac]

if you do find out the info about the C46 pls let me know, and i will continue looking on my end.

  The Constellation is a very odd looking plane on the ground.... well its an odd looking plane in the sky too   , but I would love to see one in person even if it is a grounded plane. I kinda have a thing for the odder looking planes that came out of the WWII era.

Your in luck! Lufthansa is restoring one to passenger service. I'm sure the ticket prices will be ungodly but you can live your dream!

[EVZ]

That reminds me, big antique birds and all, a couple weeks ago they flew out the Lockheed Constellation here at Camarillo Airport to Chino (one of the museums out there purchased it) and I got some amateure footage of it that I never took off my camera yet, (probabley the last time one will ever fly, lord knows).

Actually, we have a "Connie" based here at the Marana airfield. It was Dwight Eisenhower's AF-2 plane (backup for AF-1) ... It's been flying WORLDWIDE to airshows for many years now ... one of my neighbors kids went to Egypt with it a few years back as a tank-wipe / Mechanics Helper.
They have a few more at their Hanger (parts planes). BEAUTIFULL aircraft !

[talos]

cool thanks guys

I was looking into the "airdropping" thing and this source (http://www.cbi-history.com/part_vi_4th_ccg.html), says that on at least one mission some of the dirt runways were turned to mud due to heavy rains. As a result a few of the 4th Group (C46s) were forced to airdrop their cargo over the fields, but to my understanding the cargo was predominately food and water, possibly ammo as well. It doesn't say any thing about any large scale cargo airdrops that took place during WWII.


   All the other things that kept popping up during the search were about the "Air America" Operation

[wil3ur]

cool thanks guys

I was looking into the "airdropping" thing and this source (http://www.cbi-history.com/part_vi_4th_ccg.html), says that on at least one mission some of the dirt runways were turned to mud due to heavy rains. As a result a few of the 4th Group (C46s) were forced to airdrop their cargo over the fields, but to my understanding the cargo was predominately food and water, possibly ammo as well. It doesn't say any thing about any large scale cargo airdrops that took place during WWII.


   All the other things that kept popping up during the search were about the "Air America" Operation

Yes!  Add heroin to the cargo loadout!  +1

[EVZ]

Yes!  Add heroin to the cargo loadout!  +1

I'd heard the term AH Junkies before, but you just added a new dimension to the phrase.

[Shane]

These planes were detrimental to the early part of the war in the Pacific.

It was continually used in in the Pacific to fairy Troops     

Surprised no one caught these and made fun of them.   

meh, nice looking plane that serves no useful game purpose, unless you ask HTC to implement air drones for re-supply, ala AW3 (C-47 tho') which has probably been requested at some point previously.