In 1981 Ilford Riverton Airways began adding Curtiss C-46s to their fleet. Originally USAAF 44-78565 , CF-FNC was acquired in 1982. The aircraft was sold to Everts Air Fuel in 1990 still flying in Alaska at the time of uploading as N1837M.

The 1980s were still a time of big radial engines in Winnipeg. Local carriers like Ilford Riverton / Air Manitoba and Aero Trades Western had DC-3s, DC-4s, C-46s and a PBY kept busy flying north. CF-FNC was acquired by Ilford Riverton in 1982 and sold by Air Manitoba in 1990. It returned to Alaska with Everts Air Fuel as N1837M where it is still current at the time of uploading.

not flying today due to an engine snag

Built as for the USAAF as C-46F 44-78565. Sold to Slick Airways as N67939 in 1948, Connor Airlines as N1837M in 1950 and Wien Alaska in 1955. Bought by Carl Everts in 1968 and moved Canada in 1973 as CF-FNC, initially with with Reindeer Air Services and later with Ken Borek, Lambair, Ilford Riverton Airways and Northland Air Manitoba. Returned to Alaska as N1837M with Everts Air Fuel in 1990 and stored before restoration to fly in 1992. Crashed and sustained substantial damage in 2013 but such is the value of the C-46 to Everts that the aircraft was rebuilt to fly again by early 2017.

Still had 37M on the nose from previous times as N1837M. As it was, it went to Everts Air Fuel in Sep 90 taking up its original US civil registration N1837M again. Seen still operating as such 29 Dec 2020, just over 75 years old.

Formerly registered as CF-FNC, now N1837M, this former Northland Air Manitoba C-46 is seen during an engine run-up on October 20, 1990, as it prepares to depart Winnipeg for the last time and head for its new home at Everts Air Fuel based in Anchorage Alaska. The aircraft powered up and began its last taxi to the threshold in Winnipeg moments after this photo was taken.

Line Maintenance in Winnipeg during a warm summer's day.

Photo by Udo Schaefer

A typical winter scene that could just as easily be taken in 1954 as 1984. During the period from 1970 operators in Winnipeg regressed from turbine equipment (B737/YS-11/HS748) to veterans like these. Ilford Riverton Airways' first C-46 after re-introduction of the type and shown here before the blue/red livery was applied.

Everts Air Fuel "Hot Stuff" taxis away from the fuel pumps for one of four roundtrips across the Cook Inlet that day. Pretty amazing for an aircraft that is 65 years old!