C-46 Commando aircraft scroll checklist

[Bob Hudson]

I've had this stashed away in my garage for several years snd until recently had not been able to find out anything about it:

 

 

It is a scrolling checklist for the C-46 aircraft and No idea when this was made, but the US Air Force used the Commando through 1968.

 

It's a plastic box with two spools for each end of a long paper strip with the check list printed on it. I have seen references to some of these having a typed check list. The script is black and white but is viewed through a red filter.

 

Here's what it looks like without the filter. Note the alligator clips connecting this to a power supply. I used 15 volts, but being an aircraft part, I presume the lightbulb is rated for 24 volts. It could use more power than 15 volts provides.

 

 

Here's a YouTube movie showing it in action:

 

[Bob Hudson]

I found a few references to these online, and someone is even selling a version with more modern aircraft checklists.

 

The book Air Crash Investigations - Chaos In the Cockpit - The Crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 mentions use of these scroll checklists for the C-141 and C-5

 

 

A NASA report said:

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

I have yet to find a photo of another old one of these, but I found some info about the ones now being sold (12 or 24 volts)

 

 

:

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

The C-5 flight manual shows four scroll checklists for various crew:

 

[Bob Hudson]

In this photo I have raised up the scroll to show the lightbulb and the place where I had to tape one end of the scroll (I use archival tape).

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Today's low-light smartphone cameras can make the screen look really bright:

 

 

And if you haven't watched it, here's the link again for the YouTube movie I posted:

 

[Bob Hudson]

By way of confirming this is a US Air Force item: the checklist includes "Form 781" and "Form F," both important USAF flight documents (today they have a smartphone app for each form).

[B-17Guy]

That brings back memories.

A Sabre 60 I flew from 1989-1996 had the same style checklist.

I think we removed it about 1991 or so.

Thanks for sharing.

 

John

[phantomfixer]

I can confirm the use on C5's, ...and IIRC C141s had em too

Pretty neat item for a C46

[cutiger83]

This is VERY cool! My Grandfather flew C-46 planes in the CBI so they are very special planes to me.

 

...Kat

[Bob Hudson]

This is VERY cool! My Grandfather flew C-46 planes in the CBI so they are very special planes to me.

 

...Kat

 

They are - and having a piece of one is kind of cool.

[Steindaddie]

We also had scroll checklists for the C-130. One squadron to which I was assigned in 2002-04 still had them mounted in the aircraft, but they were not supposed to be used. Reason being was those scroll checklist did not reflect the updates and changes to the -1 and handheld checklists. That being said, if one had followed the scroll checklist, they wouldn't miss any critical steps, changes or not.

[phantomfixer]

Agreed ..same at Dover on FREDS