Curtiss R5C-1 Commando
Variant Details
From 1942, several C-46As were transferred from the USAAF to the US Navy as part of the Army-for-Navy procurement program. 170 aircraft were originally planned, but the last 10 were cancelled on V-J Day. Even though some official government statistics claim this lot was composed of 120 C-46As and 40 C-46Ds, the study of each individual aircraft shows that they were actually all C-46As. The new, freshly delivered aircraft, were all (but one) sent to the US Marine Corps, which used them greatly in the Pacific theatre were the Commando's range was used to advantage. The naval designation R5C-1 was given to these Commandos. The extent of the modifications given to these aircraft during their transfer to the US Marines is not known, however they were for the most part identical to their USAAF C-46A brothers.
Most naval Commandos were complete at "straight" R5C-1 transports, however a few of them received minor modifications related to specific duties, reflected by the following designations:
- R5C-1T used as trainers;
- R5C-1Z used as VIP transports.
Commandos Affected
Designated as R5C-1:
- Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando: 39492, 39493
- Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando: 39584, 39585, 39586, 39587, 39588, 39589, 39590, 39591, 39592, 39593, 39594, 39595, 39596, 39598, 39599, 39600, 39601, 39602, 39603
- Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando: 39494, 39495, 39496, 39497, 39498, 39499, 39500, 39502, 39503, 39504
- Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando: (41-24669), (41-24670), (41-24671), 39507
- Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando: (41-24734), 39509, 39510, 39511, (41-24738)
- Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando: (41-24759), (41-24760), (41-24761), 39516, 39517, (41-24764), (41-24765), 39522, 39521, 39520, 39523
- Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: 39526, 39528, 39529, 39530, 39531, 39532, 39533, (42-3618), 39538, 39535, (42-3621), (42-3622), 39534, 39539, 39540, 39541, 39542, (42-3667) + 2 more probable
- Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 39544, 39545, 39546, 39547, 39548, 39549, 39550, 39551, 39552, 39553, 39554, 39555, 39556, 39557, 39558, 39559, 39560, 39561, 39562, 39563, 39574
- Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: 39564, 39565, 39566, 39567, 39568, 39569, 39570, 39571, 39572, 39573, 39575, 39577, 39578, 39579, 39580, 39581, 39582, 39583
- Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: 39597, 39604, 39605, 39606, 39607, 39608, 39609, 39610, 39611, 50690, 50691, 50692, 50693, 50694, 50695, 50696, 50697, 50698, 50699, 50700, 50701, 50702, 50703, 50704, 50705, 50706, 50707, 50708, 50709, 50710, 50711, 50712, 50713, 50714, 50715, 50716, 50717, 50718, 50719, 50720, 50721
- Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: 50722, 50723, 50724, 50725, 50726, 50727, 50728, 50729
Designated as R5C-1Z (VIP):
- Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: 39576
Last edited: 29/11/2023