Warbird Information Exchange

I am trying to identify a C-46 in a picture that I have. The c/r starts with NC5843... or NC5848... There is another marking "KBJ" but it doesn't look like parts of a s/n.

Does anyone know where I can find c/r histories of C-46s or any other good info source?

Mike

Depends on how sure you are of your reading off the photo of the the serial, but based on C-46 known identities the nearest match may be c/n 2941, a St Louis built C-46E which was intended for lease-lend to China but never left the US and was operated by Slick as N59484 but was exported to Canada for Dorval Air transport as CF-FBJ.

I'm basing this one some coincidences only i.e. that although not NC... the serial matches most of the digits and the F could look like K on a poor photo then the last two of the Canadian reg. could match the "other" marking to which you refer. My speculations could be wholely wrong so it's just an idea!

Actually, I was the chap reading the info to Mike off the photo... the N-Number was a rough read at best from a slide... and yes, the K could have easily been a F.

Mike, would you concur? I'd say the placement of it at Dorval Air Transport makes it a really good bet.

Ryan Keough

Thanks guys! This is the best lead I have had so far. This kind of info is very hard to come by. Even google didn't reveal anything. Is there a book I should be looking for?

When I get the slides back from the photo lab (they are scanning them for me) I'll throw that one back in the projector and see what I can see.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
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Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Hi both,

I'm based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. My source was the "Curtiss C-46 Commando" published by Air-Britain (of which I have been a member from 35 years +. The main volume was published in 1978 with a small update booklet in 1881. The authors were John M. Davis and (the now late) Harold G. Martin. It provides a comprehensive design and operation history, a full production listing with history of every airframe and numerous photos. Sadly it's long out of print and somewhat of a collectors item!

OOOps! Finger trouble! I've been a member of Air-Britain for over 35 years. The C-46 update booklet was published in 1981 (not 1881 - I know they're classic, but not antiquarian) !!

Thanks for the post Tim! I don't know if you saw my other post, but here goes a question... Any chance it might have something about a C-46 crashing at a DEW Line site known as Foxe Main? From the photo I have it looks something like a nose over on landing and/or port main gear collapse.

I would guess your book includes a list by c/n. Any chance that publication has an ISBN number?

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

What does your book have for C-46F-1-CU c/n 22387 c/r CF-HZI?

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Book ISBN is 0 85130 065 0
Update is o 85130 093 6
c/n 22387 is described as: C-46F-1-CU. 44-78564 Jul 45. N67938 (first). N1443V World Airways Inc La Guardia, NY. Buffet and vibration on approach to Alburquerque, NM, 29 Apr 54. CF-HZI Central Northern Airways, Feb 55. Became Trans-air 1955. Canc 1956 crashed.

The book doesn't list crashes separately (other than for aircraft where c/ns are unkown) Unless I'm to sift through the whole production, I need a little to narrow this down - such as the aircraft operator (as major operators fleet lists are also shown. I'm not familiar with DEW line - what does that stand for - is it a US train operator. Is there anything which to help narrow down the City or State where the crash occured perhaps as I don't know where Foxe Main is I need to relate it to your geography?

Ryan

If you're still following this thread - completely off topic, I see your name crop up seemingly in connection will the B-24. When I was over in the US a few years back the Collings B-24 & B-17 dropped in to Rockford when we just happened to be visiting on the way back to the UK from Oshkosh. I managed to fly in the B-24 (my friend sampled the B-17 as well - but I had that week already flown in the EAA's). That B-24 flight and the friendliness and cooperation shown by the crew and support staff remain as one of the most enjoyable flying experiences I've ever had and I've samples well over 200 types. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for all of this great info! Actually I already have narrowed it down. I was given a tip about the website that documents crashes. I knew the downed aircraft crashed at the DEW site known as Foxe Main. I found only one C-46 site noted as crashed at this location, hence the c/n above.

DEW stands for Distant Early Warning and was a string of radar stations across Canada's north which formed the first line of detection for NORAD. Please someone correct me if I am getting any of this wrong. I don't know if each site had a runway, but many did. These runways were used by many operators for refueling and maintenance. Eventually planes would be downed there, like the C-46 I was digging up the dirt on.

Thanks again!

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Hi Mike,

yes you have your info. onDEW correct, most of the Canadian ones had crude runways while he ones here in the States were supplied by Helios.

As for your other C-46 crash, have you try to cross-referance with the CAA accident date base. I've found that this sometimes has all the purtian information that I need.

hope this helps, see you later on today, have a safe drive down.

Cheers Col.R

I don't know the CAA site, but this was the one I was using...

http://aviation-safety.net/database/index.html

The was a C-46 crash at Fox and one at site #28. I would like to confirm that site #28 is not Fox. I will google when I have a chance.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

I have so far found three crashes mentioning two Canadian registered examples
c/n 448 when registered as CF-IHQ to Montreal Air Services (operated by World Wide Airways) suffered an accident on 27 Sep 1955 at DEW Site 35, Canada. The same airframe but when later owned by Wheeler Airlines crashed 25 Mar 1960 at DEW Site 28 PQ (no casualties). Looks as if that wrote it off.

c/n 32866 when registered as CF-IHR to Montreal Air Services Ltd (operated by World Wide Airways) crashed 23 Sep 1956 at DEW Site 28 NWT. Ran off runway. Remains still there 1959.