Monroe's C-46 is GONE! It Flew Away and Didn't Come Back!! FTHVN 961

After an twelve -year stay at the Monroe Airport, the WWII era C-46 Commando is leaving for a new home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Warriors and Warbirds is throwing a Farewell Party for the old gal and wishing her the very best in Virginia. In this video I cover history of this aircraft since the end of WWII, including her involvement in drug running in the 1970s. Then it's time to say goodbye and she flies away to a new home.
FTHVN 961
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[@That_southern_kid_original]

Growing up watching this plane fly was amazing! Getting to watch it go for one last time is crazy

[@GrubbyZebra]

It's new owner likes to keep as many of his aircraft flying as possible, so this likely won't be her last flight.

[@jonachaval1912]

I saw Tinker Belle at KSUA during an air show. Her cockpit was so immaculately restored it looked like it had just come out of the factory. The little camels painted on the side of the nose apparently signifies how many times it flew over the Himalayan “hump” from India to China.

[@benscratchin]

The Confederate Air Force saved this girl. It's good that she's going to a museum. There, she should be preserved for a long time.

[@bmused55]

Small factual correction: The war did not break out in 1941. It started in 1939 and the US only joined it in 1941.

[@sydneygee]

What a fabulous piece of aviation history.

[@alec_f1]

I believe, if you look through the records on this aircraft, you might find a Chester Brakefield signing off on it somewhere. It used to be in Oklahoma for a while and might have had work done on it at Tinker AFB at one time. I think this is the aircraft Mr. Brakefield worked on. He was a mechanic during the war and worked on every operational aircraft the USAAF had flying at that time. He was a legend in aviation and gave me my A&P oral and practical tests around the age of 95. This aircraft was at Wiley Post airport with the OK wing of the CAF for many years in the 80's. I remember touring it at a local airshow when I was a kid. It flew "The Hump" over the Himalayas in WWII. Chet told me about a big dust-up he had with the guys at Tinker when he got to use the state of the art (at that time) paint facility. It was rectified by his friend who was a general in the AF at that time. So, his lengthy DNA is all over that aircraft. The restored Fairchild PT-19 in blue and gold seen around airshows was one of 2 he bought for like $400 bucks from Tinker with the caveat that he disassemble them and tow them away. He could NOT fly them off the field. He also worked on the Enola Gay at TAFB unknowingly as well.

[@johnosbourn4312]

The American Airpower Heritage Museum is actually the Commerorative Air Force, and it's not a seperate organization from the CAF.

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

I use to see the C-46 China Doll fly when they had the Hawthorne Air Fair. I wonder what happened to it

[@johnosbourn4312]

The C-46 does not have cargo doors on both sides of the fuselage, the doors are only on the left, or port side of the fuselage.

[@mikeday62]

This C-46 seems like some sort of antique machine. What does it do?

[@cyrilhudak4568]

Does anyone else think it odd that Curtis-Wright would use a Pratt & Whitney engine in their aircraft?

[@johnosbourn4312]

No, because their P-36 Mohawk fighter was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14 Cylinder Radial engine, and their later naval Hawk biplane fighters were also powered engines from Pratt & Whitney, as well as engines from Wright.

[@mglenngoodson]

This one doesn't have the 2800s ??

[@DeadChan67]

You sure?

[@urvhalt]

12 minutes and no takeoff, did it leave?

[@urvhalt]

...by truck?

[@bmused55]

Must admit, I was disappointed by the lack of take off footage too

[@AreeyaKKC]

Watch the last 10 seconds

[@bmused55]

@@AreeyaKKC I did. Credits and then cards for other videos. No take off.

[@johnosbourn4312]

The aircraft's number 44-78774 is not an inventory number, but, in fact that is an Army Air Force Serial Number. There is no such thing as an inventory number for military aircraft, anywhere in the world, at all. So, please, go redo your research before you post another video.