Profile Photo
John Healy
162 articles

1/144 Curtiss C-46

March 31, 2024 · in Aviation · · 26 · 215

This is the newish kit finished with Tamiya lacquer paints and Vintage Flyer decals. It represents a Slick Airways freighter during the late 1940s. Slick was a significant American cargo carrier between 1946 and 1966 when it was acquired by Airlift International. I included a photo of the plane posed with a DC-3 to illustrate their relative sizes.

Great little kit and Vintage Flyer decals never disappoint. Happy modeling!

Reader reactions:
4  Awesome 2  1 

15 additional images. Click to enlarge.


26 responses

  1. Beautiful build, John @j-healy
    I really like that slogan of Slick.
    To be honest, I was not aware of this aircraft.
    She looks like a DC-3 but clearly a lot bigger.

    • Thanks, John. It was designed as a pressurized airliner before the war. Almost 3000 were built for the military and some survive today flying cargo in Alaska.

  2. What a pleasing model! Which came first, the kit or the decals?

    • The kit. I actually got it from a friend in a trade last year. I’ve always liked the plane, especially since I saw the one at the Air Force museum in Dayton, Ohio about 8 years ago. I dabble in airliners and Vintage Flyer makes great sets for oddballs like this.

  3. A bazillion times better than what you would get with the old Williams Brothers kit!

    Very nice work on this, John, and a super result.

  4. Excellent work!

  5. Nice model, John (@j-healy). Great work on a really small plane. I remember seeing an actual Slick plane when I was a kid.

    • Thanks, George! I’ve got it parked on a shelf between two DC-8s and a 737. Even though it’s small, it still has some presence. The real one in Dayton surprised me with its width.

  6. Super duper C-46!

  7. Very slick indeed, John.
    Certainly a 'bigun', great job with the NMF and the White.

    • Thanks, George. New generation lacquer paints make silver and white a lot easier these days. I remember putting drops of blue into white enamel to keep it from turning yellow back in the day.

  8. Excellent C-46, John!
    Great chosen scheme!

  9. A real beauty, John. Slick color scheme!

  10. Excellent build. I've always thought the Commando looked good in civil livery. What a beast!

  11. Nicely done John! Markings are a standout.

Leave a Reply