ex 44-78565 and N1837M. Returned to N1837M in 1990. Photographer unknown

In 1981 Ilford Riverton Airways began adding Curtiss C-46s to their fleet. Originally USAAF 44-78565 , CF-FNC was acquired in 1982. The aircraft was sold to Everts Air Fuel in 1990 still flying in Alaska at the time of uploading as N1837M.

The 1980s were still a time of big radial engines in Winnipeg. Local carriers like Ilford Riverton / Air Manitoba and Aero Trades Western had DC-3s, DC-4s, C-46s and a PBY kept busy flying north. CF-FNC was acquired by Ilford Riverton in 1982 and sold by Air Manitoba in 1990. It returned to Alaska with Everts Air Fuel as N1837M where it is still current at the time of uploading.

Still had 37M on the nose from previous times as N1837M. As it was, it went to Everts Air Fuel in Sep 90 taking up its original US civil registration N1837M again. Seen still operating as such 29 Dec 2020, just over 75 years old.

Line Maintenance in Winnipeg during a warm summer's day.

Photo by Udo Schaefer

A typical winter scene that could just as easily be taken in 1954 as 1984. During the period from 1970 operators in Winnipeg regressed from turbine equipment (B737/YS-11/HS748) to veterans like these. Ilford Riverton Airways' first C-46 after re-introduction of the type and shown here before the blue/red livery was applied.