Curtiss Commando C-46 in Beta test @ calclassic.com forum

Post by **Garry Russell** » 04 Mar 2007, 17:26

OK Hinch.

It certainly will be nice to have a new C-46 even thought they were rare in Europe there were some around.

Seaboard based some on the continent and Lufthansa had some in their livery with US registrations operated for them by I think Seaboard...or maybe someone else.

I have a feeling their was some Scandinavian ones :think:

Never seen a real one

Any new prop from this era is very welcome.

Garry

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 04 Mar 2007, 17:42

Garry

Seaboard had one (N10427). Capitol Airways (airlines?) had four in Europe N9890Z to N9893Z), and one was painted in Lufthansa colours - which one does not come to mind right now.

Fred Olsen operated some as well, but I only know that because of some photos on the CalClassic forum - never saw any.

Ian

Post by **Garry Russell** » 04 Mar 2007, 17:50

Thanks Ian

I forgot about Capitol.

Only bits of memory here. :think:

Funny about Lufthansa I thought only one but a reference I saw recently said several...but one makes more sense

Maybe more than one was used for Lufthansa but only one in their livery
:think:

Garry

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 04 Mar 2007, 18:19

Yes, as you say, I think all of them were used by Lufthansa but only one was painted in their colours.

And I must apologise for duff information - the only ones I remembered were N9890Z to 9893Z. But a quick search on Airliners.net found N66326 :think: so I did a quick check.

Indeed the list of those I saw at LAP in Capitol colours is a little more extensive:

N66326 Sept 1964
N1312V Jan 65
N5076N Sept 64
N68966 April 65
N7923C Sept 65

N9890Z March 64
N9891Z ???
N9892Z April 64
N9893Z Sept 65

Also

LV-PGJ Nov 66

What on earth was that doing at LAP?

Paul K · Post by **Paul K** » 04 Mar 2007, 19:28

A decent C-46 is something I've always wanted in FS9. The two examples I've had so far have been slightly disappointing ( one had the tyres ahead of the propeller arcs when viewed from the front ! ).

All the South and Central American charter airlines that operated it will give rise to some excellent repaints too.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 04 Mar 2007, 20:22

Hi Ian

It looks like they Capitol rotated them often like the United 727's where ther was only about three of four based there but the airframes rotated often.

Even with these still a rare beast in Europe.

Garry

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 04 Mar 2007, 23:13

Also, don't forget that this is still a BETA project so a lot of items, especially the VC are going to change as time goes on. There will be 2 panels (the original hump-back and the more 'modern' cut-down) in the final version with acompanying VC differences. Tom has also said that he will probably include a non-VC version for those who don't use the VC or don't like its final outcome.

Also, consider that the VC was built from a very rough model to where it is now with clear and "era-appropriate" gauges in less than a week. The original VC was extremely basic and used all default gauges.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 04 Mar 2007, 23:20

Very valid points Chris

I know from beta testing all manner of makeshifts and temps go in to be able to check things before the detail or completion of other part.

The many different elements can then proceed.

Thanks for that

Garry

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 05 Mar 2007, 03:33

There used to be a Cargo carrier based in Miami called Challenge - they operated C46s and DC6s in the most godawful black, orange and Yellow colour scheme - first time I ever met a C46 was on the cargo ramp at Atlanta
many years ago - the main thing that struck me then and still today was how much bigger it was than the DC3

Leif

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 05 Mar 2007, 03:42

It's bigger, but sadly there were two problems -

1) It was never really liked for passenger carriage. I've never figured out why, but no one I've talked to ever liked flying in them.

2) While bigger than the C-47, it didn't carry appreciably more, cost substantially more to both build and fly, and was much more complex than the C-47.

In the end, the economics just weren't there, especially when the CV-240 entered the market a few years after the end of the war and was able to duplicate the C-46's performance with a tricycle landing gear and better economics.