You know, I actually got to see a real C-46 close up. In Taipei in 1970 while I was there for a few days trying to hop a ride out space-A.
Really something to see. The rounded nose with segmented glass. Really neat. Exactly like a C-47 as near as I could tell except for the B-29-like nose.
The first C-46 dad flew had Nationalist China stars on the wings. It was replaced later with a silver C-46 with Army stars.
He was one of more than a dozen civilian pilots in the CBI. They wore officer’s uniform and jacket with the CBI patch but without rank insignia.
Yes the C-46 looks similar to the C-47, but does not have the graceful lines nor longevity of the latter.
I was with a company called Southern Air Transport operating out of Miami International back in the early 70s and we had a few C-46s. They were an interesting g contrast to our other aircraft, a “civilian” version of the C-130.
Ah! The good old days! Well at least from my perspective of today.