Central African Wing / Division

  June 1943 to 1 July 1944

  United States of America

TYPE: USAAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: RAF Wadi Seidna, Sudan

FORMER NAME: Africa-Middle East Wing (split)

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Central African Division

Air Transport Command's Central African Wing resulted from a split of the Africa-Middle East Wing in June 1943. It was responsible for moving aircraft, personnel and cargo from West African transport hubs over the Trans-Africa Route, which included the following segments:

• Northbound, linking with the Middle East & North African Wings: Khartoum to Cairo, Egypt;
• Eastbound, linking with the India-China Wing: Khartoum to Aden, Aden Colony and on to Karachi, Sindh, India;
• Westbound, linking with the South Atlantic Wing: Khartoum to Roberts Field, Liberia via El Geneina, Sudan, Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Gold Coast;
• Southbound: Lagos, Nigeria to Leopoldville, Belgian Congo for the transport of uranium to the USA. This route was later extended to Pretoria, South Africa via Elizabethville, Belgian Congo.

Traffic died down on the Trans-Africa Route when the route along the coast of West Africa from Dakar, Senegal to French Morocco became available in 1943.

On 1 July 1944, along with all other ATC wings, the Central African Wing was upgraded to Central African Division.

Left: route map of the Central African Wing, ca 1943.

February 1944 to August 1945

The following Commandos where operated by the ATC Central African Wing, unit unknown:

• Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando: 41-12301, 41-12318, 41-12331
• Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando: 43-47018, 43-47019
• Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: 41-24654
• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: 42-3590, 42-3638, 42-3640, 42-3642, 42-3644, 42-3645, 42-3646, 42-3648, 42-3649, 42-3651, 42-3652, 42-3654, 42-3656, 42-3659, 42-3660, 42-3661, 42-3662, 42-3663, 42-3664, 42-3665, 42-3670, 42-3672, 42-3674, 42-3679, 42-3681
• Curtiss C-46A-36-CU Commando: 42-3676
• Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando: 42-60943, 42-60958, 42-107335 (NTU), 42-107337, 42-107348
• Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando: 42-61073, 42-61079, 42-107281, 42-107288, 42-107290, 42-107306, 42-107308
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 42-96541
• Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: 42-96804, 42-101120
• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: 43-47050, 43-47051, 43-47052, 43-47053, 43-47054, 43-47067, 43-47068