Warbird Information Exchange

Posted on: Curtiss C-46 Commando Facebook page.

"These photos show a C-46 named "Ground Hog", which appears to have been converted to a cabin of some sort - the gear seems to be retracted, there's a set of steps and a flagpole outside the rear door, and a chimney back of the cockpit area. I have no idea who did this, or where - maybe somebody in the group knows where these were taken, how this aircraft got there, and what happened to it afterward?
I found the negatives for these pictures in a box from the Baden-Powell Council Scout office in Dryden, NY, when the office was closed and moved to Binghamton. They appear to date from the Louis Agassiz Fuertes Council area (Tompkins and Tioga Counties in Central NY), most likely from the late 1940's or early 1950's from the other negatives in the box. None of the long-term Scouters in this area remember this airplane or have any idea where it was. It's a mystery..."

I don't know if this is the same aircraft, but a C-46 was purchased in March 1946 by the Wapsipinicon Area Council of Boy Scouts for use at Camp Ingawanis near Waverly, Iowa. The C-46 had been in storage at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas and was sold to the scouts for $200.00. It was delivered to the airport at Waterloo, Iowa on May 4, 1946 and after being on display was to be disassembled prior to being transported to the camp. In June the scouts were seeking volunteers to help disassemble the C-46, and reassembly was completed in May 1947. The C-46 was to be the permanent headquarters for senior scouts and outfitted with bunks and accomodation for 20. It was advertised for sale by the scouts in March 1949, to be junked.

Bob

Very interesting to see. It would be nice to get some confirming information on the one in the photos.

In any case, I'll be adding either one or two C-46s to the listing here: https://www.aerovintage.com/waa-rfc-listing/

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

This is the "Wapsipinicon" C-46: nose number looks like "22x". I've checked the C-46 s/n and three possible batches come up. I've checked those with '220 thru 229' numbers an none agree (they are all DAUB/PACT etc, with none returned to the US). The only numbers I can't verify are 43-47220 thru 47229 (Curtiss C-46A-60-CK), and so I think it's possibly one of these.

Baugher shows three possibles: 43-47220 (excluded Aug 1, 1946); 43-47223 (condemned Jul 23, 1946) and 43-47226 (condemned Jul 23, 1946, salvage). but with no context.

Can anyone check the cards?

Those photos look just like upstate New York to me (although I've never visited Iowa).
Just for fun- obviously not the same aircraft- but a C-46 stands as a gate guardian at the Glenn Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, NY, a few counties away from the towns mentioned in the original post.

The C-46 in Hamonsport NY came from the National Warplane Museum

Any plans to get a roof over her ?

Phil

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A man's got to know his limitations.

Looking at rural Iowa around Camp Wapsipinicon, the countryside is surprisingly similar to the shots that Mark posted. Not at all what I had expected, so possibly a match.

I looked at the three cards on the ACR reel. All three appear to have departed the U.S. through Morrison Field (Palm Beach), destination undetermined. But it appears they all went overseas and were salvaged overseas.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

I think it is four digits on the nose, thus it might be 22xx.

One possibility is 41-12292: RFC at Walnut Ridge on 2/12/46. That the only one in the 41-12280 to 41-12299 that seems to fit.

Baugher shows it damaged on 9/27/43 but it remained in service until February 1946.

_________________
Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

From the Camp Ingawanis Centennial Alumni Association - 1924-2024 Facebook Page, a 2020 post:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158957888734885&set=gm.423309048678657&idorvanity=233095787699985

_________________
Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Some good detective work Scott! I did wonder if the 'last three' might have been a 'last four' but the second '2' to me looks like its's centered. I'm also undecided on whether these are all the same aircraft!