Can you see the plane?

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 10:28 pm

I've been spending some time looking through photos lately - finding that the items referred to in the captions are often less interesting than the backgrounds. This isn't one of those, but interesting nonetheless. Can you see the aircraft?

Ryan

Elwyn · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 10:50 pm

C-46?

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 10:53 pm

Elwyn wrote:

C-46?

Yes. There are some more photos of what appear to possibly the same photo run, but this was the only one in color in the filmstrip that I could find.

Ryan

Chris · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 10:54 pm

Yep, I agree with Elwyn. C-46. Sure is hidden even though it's right in the middle of the pic

67N20 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 11:14 pm

Reminds me of reading in Ernest K. Gann's "Fate is the Hunter" story of almost crashing into the Taj Mahal during WWII.

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2009 11:41 pm

I remember reading a story in Reader's Digest as a kid abouty a C-87 nearly crashing into the Taj Mahal. Could it have been a chapter excerpted from Gann's book (which I haven't read?)

SN

67N20 · **Posted:** Sun May 10, 2009 7:35 am

Been a long time since I read "Fate is the Hunter" but I'm pretty sure he was flying a cargo plane when it happened, which means your memory is correct. That book is a must read for any aviation enthusiast.

Glyn · **Joined:** Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:23 am **Posts:** 321

Gann's C-87 was indeed the one mentioned in Fate is the Hunter which narrowly avoided colliding with the Taj Mahal. It seems the Indian army had filled what were the bomb bays with railway sleepers (ties to Americans) so the aircraft was considerably overweight. Sounds like a thorough pre-flight inspection was not carried out!

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