C-146 Wolfhound

[tigercat2]

I just saw an article about the C-146 Wolfhound, used by the USAF. Is this the highest "C" number in use? Seems like for cargo aircraft they go back and forth from the old (pre-1962 sequence) to the new one. Shouldn't a new cargo aircraft be called the C-48? (probably would skip the C-47, since many are still in use worldwide).




Wes W.

 

[Stargazer]

I just saw an article about the C-146 Wolfhound, used by the USAF. Is this the highest "C" number in use? Seems like for cargo aircraft they go back and forth from the old (pre-1962 sequence) to the new one. Shouldn't a new cargo aircraft be called the C-48? (probably would skip the C-47, since many are still in use worldwide).

The C-146 was already discussed in this post and the following ones:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7683.msg231056.html#msg231056

 

[tigercat2]

Thanks very much for pointing me to that threat - quite interesting.


BTW, the statement is made towards the end of the thread that only 2 series from 1945 on had the "13" number; H-13 and X-13. I believe that there was one more, an F-13 (Boeing B-29 used for photo recon). This was redesignated RB-29 in 1948, IIRC.




Wes W.

 

[Stargazer]

BTW, the statement is made towards the end of the thread that only 2 series from 1945 on had the "13" number; H-13 and X-13. I believe that there was one more, an F-13 (Boeing B-29 used for photo recon). This was redesignated RB-29 in 1948, IIRC.

Almost correct, but not quite (and neither was that other member). Actually if you go as far back as 1945 there was also the Waco CG-13 glider, Vultee BT-13 and Boeing PT-13 trainers which were still pretty much in use at the time. Also the Convair L-13 and Bell R-13 were allocated at the time. I believe that the poster probably thought in more general terms of the post-war designation system, which actually took effect in 1948 as you correctly stated. In this case, four "13" numbers made it to the revised system: the Bell H-13 (redesignated from R-13), the Ryan X-13, the Waco G-13 (redesignated from CG-13) and the Convair L-13 (as the L- series wasn't changed to U- until the tri-service system of 1962).

 

[tigercat2]

Thanks so much!! The knowledge that you folks have is truly stunning (and always accurate!!!)






Wes W

 

[Andreas Parsch]

Triskaidekaphobia entered the aircraft designation system in the late 1960s with the omission of F-13 (would have gone to the Grumman Tomcat). It's now an officially established policy to skip -13 in MDS designations.

 

[RavenOne]

I just saw an article about the C-146 Wolfhound, used by the USAF. Is this the highest "C" number in use? Seems like for cargo aircraft they go back and forth from the old (pre-1962 sequence) to the new one. Shouldn't a new cargo aircraft be called the C-48? (probably would skip the C-47, since many are still in use worldwide).




Wes W.

HAve seen them over the years here at RAF Mildenhall and in fact one came in lunchtime today and it be here for a while with the 352nd Special Ops Wing, and here are my photos




cheers