The C-46 Commando was exceptionally large for a twin-engine aircraft in those days. It could accommodate 40 paratroopers inside or 7 tons payload, which was within the reach of very few models.After the WWII there were large surplus transport aircrafts that were sold to civilian airlines, but the C-46 was quite expensive to maintain and there were thousands of cheaper C-47s in the market. Because of this, the C-46 was soon relegated to less demanding tasks than the passenger airlines.The C-46 was a vital part in supplying China, in the so-called Operations over “The Hump” from Indian bases, and in 1944 participated extensively in the European Theater. By the end of the war, more than 3,000 aircrafts of all variants had been built, some of which served with the USAF until 1968.The US Navy operated 160 C-46 under R5C-1 designation and after the WWII the CIA used a good number for its clandestine operations on Asia. The excellence of its design is demonstrated by the fact that there are still examples that make regular commercial flights today.
