Imphal, The Hump and Beyond 
Imphal, The Hump and Beyond
U.S.A.A.F. Combat Cargo Groups of the Second World War
C-46 Pilots Check List
| BEFORE STARTING ENGINESStart from the bottom of the pedestal:
Cross-over valve--Down Emergency brake—valve--Down Glider release--Down Carburetor filter doors--Down Wing flaps--UP Tailwheel--LOCKED Prop selector switches—AUTO Parking brake—ON Superchargers—LOW blower Carburetor heat—COLD Landing gear handle—DOWN and latched Wing flaps—UP Tail wheel—Locked Prop selector switches—AUTO Circuit breakers—IN Feather switches—NORMAL Aileron tabs—Free and neutral Rudder tabs—Free and neutral Elevator tabs—Free and neutral Control booster shut-off—ON Oil cooler shutters—CLOSED Mixture controls—IDLE CUT-OFF Prop governors—FULL forward (high rpm) Throttles—Cracked (1/4 open) Cowl flaps—OPEN On pilots windowsill:Pitot anti-icer valves—OFF Nose valve—As desired Fuel selector valves—Tanks desired On the instrument panel:Airspeed selector valve—AIRSPEED TUBE Autopilot bleed—NORMAL Autopilot shut-off—OFF On the copilot’s windowsill: (to be checked by copilot)Pitot blowout valves—INSTRUMENTS Accumulator shut-off valve—DOWN Pitot heat switches—OFF On the overhead panel:Light switches—OFF Anti-icer switches—OFF Radios—OFF Circuit breakers—OFF Heaters—OFF STARTING ENGINESStart putt-putt—(unless battery cart is used) Batter switches--ON (unless battery cart is used) Master and ignition switches—ON Inverter—ON (Check spare) Generators—ON Gas gages—Check quantity Booster (or sump) pumps—ON Fire guard—POSTED Call "Clear" to ground crew Energize starter 15 to 18 seconds, and engage with both switches AFTER ENGINES ARE RUNNINGBooster pumps—OFF Battery switches—ON (Battery cart out) Putt-Putt—OFF Lights—As desired BEFORE TAXINGFlight engineer’s report—Crew aboard, hatches and doors secured, ladder in Hydraulic pressures Booster system—750-1050 psi. Main system—1050-1350 psi. Radios—ON Altimeter—Set Clock—Set Gyros—Set Flight controls—Free Chocks—Removed Permission from the tower to move Parking brake—OFF Tailwheel—UNLOCKED "All Clear" from alert crew ENGINE RUN-UPParking brake—ON Tailwheel—LOCKED (If straight) Fuel boosters pumps—OFF Oil coolers shutters—As desired Mixtures—AUTO RICH Cowl flaps—OPEN Fuel selector valves—Takeoff tanks Check:Engine gauges for proper readings Superchargers, then return to LOW Carburetor heat, then return to COLD Generators Manual prop controls Prop governors Magnetos Pitot heaters Suction gage BEFORE TAKEOFF Prop selector switches—AUTO Circuit breakers—In Booster pumps—ON Trim tabs—Neutral Control boost—ON Mixtures—AUTO RICH Prop controls—Full forward (high rpm) Cowl flaps—Trail Fuel selector valves—Takeoff tanks Gyro instruments—Set and uncaged Engine instruments—Normal readings When lined up: Friction locked—Tightened Tailwheel—LOCKED Flight controls—Free AFTER TAKEOFF Gear—UP Brakes—ON Power reductions: Intermediate—41 Hg. And 2400 rpm Climb—35 Hg. And 2300 rpm Airspeed 120 to 140 mph Booster pumps—OFF (at save altitude) CRUISING Power—reduced to cruise setting Mixtures—AUTO LEAN (When cylinder-head temperatures are below 200 C.) Cowl flaps—CLOSED (When cylinder-head temperatures are below 200 C.) Tanks—Use front tanks for 30 minutes BEFORE LANDING Prop governors—2300 rpm Slow plane to 150 mph. Gear—DOWN Mixtures—AUTO RICH Fuel selector valves—Proper tanks Gear checked down: Visually Light—Green (or Selsyn—DOWN) Copilots checks: Parking brake—OFF Supercharger—LOW Carburetor heat—COLD Tailwheel—LOCKED Propeller switches—AUTO Circuit breakers—In Autopilot—OFF Wing de-icers—OFF Heaters—OFF Brake pressure—1050-1350 psi AFTER LANDING Flaps—UP Cowl flaps—OPEN Props—Full forward (high rpm) Booster pumps—OFF Trim tabs—Neutral Tailwheel—UNLOCKED (Not above 10 mph) STOPPING ENGINES Clear blower clutches Mixtures—IDLE CUT-OFF Throttles—Full OPEN All switches—OFF Wheel chocks in place Brakes—OFF (if hot) Fuel selector valves—OFF BEFORE LEAVING AIRPLANE Parking brake—ON Flaps—UP Prop switches—AUTO Circuit breakers—in Trim tabs—Neutral Props—Full forward (high rpm) Mixture—AUTO RICH Fuel selector valves—Takeoff tanks Run up engines and check: Magnetos Prop controls Generators Booster pumps—ON Cowl flaps—Trail Friction locks—Tightened Tailwheel—LOCKED Flight controls--Free |
Back to Combat Cargo Miscellaneous Page Back to Combat Cargo Home Page I am looking for former members of the 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 1st, Combat Cargo Group, 2nd Combat Cargo Group and the 4th Combat Cargo Group. In fact I would like to hear from anyone who flew over the Hump during WW II, or flew any Combat Cargo Missions at any time (Berlin Air-Lift, Korea, etc.) Please e-mail comment, suggestions, corrections,etc. to: bill.b@erols.com Copyright © 1999 Bill Bielauskas (bill.b@erols.com) All rights reserved. Bill Bielauskas 10 Cayuga Trail, Wayne, NJ. 07470-4406 Images unless otherwise mentioned are property of Bill Bielauskas. Images from the Combat Cargo site are not for public distribution or publication without permission of the images owner. |