Tinker Bell -Where is she now?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:26 pm

Maybe I missed it but I haven't seen any info on this C-46 since she was sold by the CAF. Where is she now?

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:29 pm

At AIRSHO last month she was still in Midland IIRC.

Alan Brooks · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:54 am

Chris, to my best knowledge, she has not been sold.... and is still up for assignment....... needs some work, but look at what the SoCal Wing has built...... Their first airplane........ you guessed it.... the C-46, "China Doll!"... Alan

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:00 pm

I was looking at Tinker Belle at AIRSHO and boy!, you don't really realize how big a C-46 is until you stand next to one. Big ol' airplane. My Grandfathers Co-pilot during the war had to ditch one in the sea of Japan. That is always a good story to hear.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:22 pm

The only group flying a C-46 in a Warbird format is the CAF. Theres just something wrong about that. A shame to not see more of these huge behemoths being operated as Warbirds. They seem like the ultimate support craft, being able to carry equipment and personal alike.

Are these aircraft maintenance hogs and have a lot of problems? Or are they just costly to operate with those 2 R-2800s and a huge gas tank?

cozmo · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:31 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

Where is she now?

Heh, every time somebody brings this plane up, I am reminded of a picture somewhere out there on the internet of a fitness model posing in front of her...both look pretty nice.

Django · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:43 pm

Warbird Kid, I asked Gary the same thing a couple years ago when I was down there. It's a neat plane. But it's just not sexy enough for people to get excited about it. Which is ultimately why I think it was sold off. No love...

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:51 pm

Django wrote:

But it's just not sexy enough for people to get excited about it.

Preposterous! :shock:

"People" just don't know sexy if it bit them in the... :wink:

RandolphB · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:04 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

The only group flying a C-46 in a Warbird format is the CAF. Theres .......... gas tank?

What about the "Tico Belle" down in Florida? It's a D-Day survivor to boot....http://www.vacwarbirds.org/

richkolasa · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:06 pm

RandolphB wrote:

Warbird Kid wrote:

The only group flying a C-46 in a Warbird format is the CAF. Theres .......... gas tank?

What about the "Tico Belle" down in Florida? It's a D-Day survivor to boot....http://www.vacwarbirds.org/

uh, that's a C-47.

Rich

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:24 pm

I'm not sure that Tinker Belle's status is, but the FAA Registry still shows no new owner.

It's a great plane and had a lot of hard work put in on her up at Tinker. It would be so great if a unit in the CAF would adopt her. The problem is probably the operating costs and the lack of her being able to get a good appearance fee or people wanting to pay for a ride on a C-46. I asked some skydivers before why they didn't get a C-46 to jump instead of a C-47. I thought it would be better, given the larger number of jumpers it could hold. They said it wasn't as cost-effective as a C-47. The per head cost would be a lot more than on a C-47.

Chris · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:57 pm

There is a small contingent here at the Az Wing of the CAF that would love to have Tinker Belle but the operating costs are such that with the B-25 and B-17 already flying, we could not afford to do anything with the C-46. I hope it stays in the organization and someone takes on the assignment.

Jase · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:07 am

Ditto at National Capitol Squadron. We'd love to have her, but could never make the numbers work. The other thing is she's a big, heavy bird, and heavier and wider than a lot of mid-sized airports can handle. Wingspan is 4' wider than a B-17....

Steve S · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:23 am

Everything I have heard from the folks that used to take care of her in the 24/29 squadron is that she is a great bird but it is really tough to make the economics of keeping her in the air work. As was already mentioned she is not, unfortuantlyl a draw at airsows except to the more educated folks on this forum and she can't get into most of the smaller shows.

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:15 am

It's sad that the old girl can't find an appropriate home on the airshow circuit. She sure is a big beast. Interestingly, when I was up at Everts Air Fuels in Alaska, they told me they couldn't do without the C-46. It was the only economically viable aircraft to get fuel in and out of the semi-prepared strips they need to fly too... it can carry 12,000lbs of fuel in rubber bladders.

Richard

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Tinker Bell -Where is she now?

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