This C-46 is painted as a Commando flying the "Hump" between India and China in 1944, after the Japanese had closed the Burma Road. Although the C-46 carried more cargo than the C-47 and offered better performance at higher altitudes, under these difficult flying conditions they required extensive maintenance and had a relatively high loss rate. 44-78018 was retired from USAF service at Howard AFB in Panama in 1968 and was flown to the museum in 1972 - my 1973 photo in its grey livery here

Ca.late 1944 or early 1945: TOS USAAF. 18 September 1947: TOS USAF. Ca.late 1950s or early 1960s: 605th Air Commando Squadron/24th Composite Wing, Howard AFB, Panama. 17 May 68: Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage. 20 Mar 72: Flown to the Air Force Museum, where it was restored to represent a C-46 flying the "Hump" during 1944.

During WWII, the USAAF accepted 3,144 C-46s (1,410 were C-46Ds) for hauling cargo and personnel and for towing gliders. This C-46D was retired from USAF service in Panama in 1968 and is now on display at the national Museum of the USAF as an aircraft flying the 'Hump', transporting war materials over the Himalayas from India to China after the Japanese had closed the Burma Road.