C-46 Commando Update - Any Good ?

Paul K

Paul K

SOH-CM-2026
With A&AU 05 has come an update from Inibuilds for the Microsoft C-46, originally developed by Aeroplane Heaven. It's a favourite aircraft in the real world, but the AH model was very disappointing in P3D, so I've also avoided it in MSFS.

Now, with the Inibuilds upgrade ( listed below ) I'm wondering whether to buy it. I'd appreciate some objective warts-and-all views on the model as it stands today. Tell me the bad as well as the good, please. ;)

Curtiss C-46 Commando​

  • Upgraded to the modern MSFS 2024 aircraft framework.
  • Converted to the latest modular package format.
  • Revised the flight model to better represent the C-46’s size and mass.
  • Improved stability, control response, and ground handling.
  • Refined engine response and aircraft performance.
  • Expanded the electrical-system simulation.
  • Implemented more representative left and right electrical buses.
  • Improved battery, avionics, and engine-bus behavior.
  • Updated alternator, inverter, and external-power functionality.
  • Reworked the fuel-system architecture.
  • Improved tank selection, engine fuel routing and crossfeed behavior.
  • Improved cockpit controls, switches, and instrumentation.
  • Updated cockpit and exterior lighting.
  • Refreshed interior and exterior artwork and materials.
  • Improved animations and interactive elements.
  • Updated engine and propeller sounds.
  • Improved interior and exterior sound balancing.
  • Refined engine audio transitions across different power settings.
  • Improved cockpit controls, switches, and environmental sounds.
  • Added compatibility with suitable cargo and transport Career Mode activities.
 
I don't have the any feedback but I'm also curious about the update. Inibuilds did wonders with their recent update to the 707, and the Trimotor update looks equally well done (although I haven't had a chance to fully test the Ford yet). Based on this track record I have high hopes for the C-46, but will be curious what others have experienced...
 
mgchrist5 said:
I don't have the any feedback but I'm also curious about the update. Inibuilds did wonders with their recent update to the 707, and the Trimotor update looks equally well done (although I haven't had a chance to fully test the Ford yet). Based on this track record I have high hopes for the C-46, but will be curious what others have experienced...
Click to expand...

Yes - for £9.39, the new 707 is astonishing. I remember Jorg Neumann promising it would be rebuilt and improved upon, but I wasn't expecting it to include so many features. Inibuilds and Working Title have done a fine job on her.

Glad to see you're interested in the C-46 too. We can post here and compare notes as we find out more. (y)
 
I got it today and for the most part it is not too bad. I do have a couple issues with the cargo and front doors remaining open.
If I am in eternal view and I click on one of the doors, it will open then as it is opening, the view changes to inside and the door
shuts on its own. Same issue with cargo door.


Here I click on the door to open
C-46.jpg
The outside automatically switches to inside view and the door closes.
C-46 Closed.jpgC-46_3.jpg
 
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I might add that when the cargo door is opened, from outside, it will switch to inside (door is then closed) view and if the cargo door is opened from inside it will switch to outside view in first person mode and no jeep is shown. The cargo door will not say open and it auto switches
to inside view and door is closed. Kinda screwy.
 
Wow. I've been flying the AH original in MSFS all along. The only issue I was having is having to blind luck fiddle with the fuel tank selectors to get the correct tanks feeding. It looks like that's been addressed.

  • Reworked the fuel-system architecture.
  • Improved tank selection, engine fuel routing and crossfeed behavior.

Forest
 
We got new and good sounds and a lot of other, much better stuff. For the first look, we get the same nice exterior model - but with another optimized uv-map. That means old liveries will not work anymore. I look on the new structure , but the new texture management is a shame.

A lot of this isn't necessary at all - texturing the FS2020 model was completely unnecessary to begin with, so why don't they learn from that? They release an update and completely mess up the texturing. We'll probably only get a few good repaints; I hope I'm wrong. In any case, I won't be updating my repaints for now. It's just too much work for me. What a shame.

C-FAVO_new.jpg
I hope, I am wrong.
 
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TiAr said:
We got new and good sounds and a lot of other, much better stuff. For the first look, we get the same nice exterior model - but with another optimized uv-map. That means old liveries will not work anymore. I look on the new structure , but the new texture management is a shame.

A lot of this isn't necessary at all - texturing the FS2020 model was completely unnecessary to begin with, so why don't they learn from that? They release an update and completely mess up the texturing. We'll probably only get a few good repaints; I hope I'm wrong. In any case, I won't be updating my repaints for now. It's just too much work for me. What a shame.

View attachment 195924
Click to expand...
Ok good to know, so I should disable the old sound mod that most of us were using?
I have been using a mod mentioned in the old commando thread "zzz-microsoft-c46-soundset"
 
Where can I go to report bugs in the C-46? I got a email from AH about the bugs and they said they handed the project to ini builds. Is there a link for them so that I can let them know the door issues I am having. I removed the install and had the cloud reinstall only to find out that did not
make matters better. I hope I have now blown $$$$ on this..
 
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Looks like there's a bit of a mixed bag on the MSFS forums about this update as well. Overall it seems to be a marked improvement over the prior iteration, yet there still seem to be assorted issues noted in their thread around items such as superchargers, VC night lighting, and exterior nose lighting.

forums.flightsimulator.com

[MSFS2024] Curtiss C-46 Commando

These release notes are grossly exaggerated. They fix the reversed cowl flaps lever, and that translates to “improved cockpit controls, switches, and instrumentation”? It’s a stretch to call this an upgrade.
forums.flightsimulator.com forums.flightsimulator.com
 
TiAr said:
We got new and good sounds and a lot of other, much better stuff. For the first look, we get the same nice exterior model - but with another optimized uv-map. That means old liveries will not work anymore. I look on the new structure , but the new texture management is a shame.

A lot of this isn't necessary at all - texturing the FS2020 model was completely unnecessary to begin with, so why don't they learn from that? They release an update and completely mess up the texturing. We'll probably only get a few good repaints; I hope I'm wrong. In any case, I won't be updating my repaints for now. It's just too much work for me. What a shame.


I hope, I am wrong.
Click to expand...
I had a look, why they thought it was necessary to remap everything is beyond me. I'll skip updating my paints for now as well
 
gray eagle said:
Where can I go to report bugs in the C-46? I got a email from AH about the bugs and they said they handed the project to ini builds. Is there a link for them so that I can let them know the door issues I am having. I removed the install and had the cloud reinstall only to find out that did not
make matters better. I hope I have now blown $$$$ on this..
Click to expand...
Update: I found the INI support page with forums and support and lodged my issues noted above, ^^ hope I get solutions.
 
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Note that this a Microsoft plane that iniBuilds developed under contract, so bugs should be reported to Microsoft. Inibuilds is only going to fix things that MS tells them to, so it's important to log the bugs with Microsoft.

To get it officially logged, create a new topic (unless someone's already reported the same issue) in this forum:
forums.flightsimulator.com

Aircraft & Systems

This section is dedicated to aircraft visuals, avionics, flight model, flight performances, instruments, aerodynamics, and more. Add-ons/ Mods/ External content are not official MSFS content and may impact the stability of the sim – more information here
forums.flightsimulator.com forums.flightsimulator.com

You can also use Zendesk, but the forum's easier and the bugs do get logged.
 
I think I may of resolved some of this issues I've been experiencing. I had to hunt for the users manual and noted that there is a "Security Switch" in he Overhead panel as noted:

C46 note.JPG

C-46 swithes.JPG

C46 Switch.jpg

C46 W Jeep.jpg

Still have issues with the doors closing from exterior view and as soon as they close, the view will switch to interior. I am not sure if that was the desired effect.
 
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I wish they'd got rid of the pilot figure and the ladder at the nose - it looks daft in my opinion.
 
I need six hours to rework my C-FAVO livery for the first time to the new native one. Tree hours to see how the remapping works. But I see, Inibuilds did a lot of optimization on remapping the textures.

C-FAVO.jpg

But there is a lot to do.
 
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My Buffalo C-FAVO livery for the Inibuilds rework is availible at flghtsim.to. Today I read, it is the last remaining Buffalo C-46. C-GTPO is used for C-FAVO parts and is stored at Yellowknife.

C-FAVO_new.jpg

C-FAVO1.jpg

flightsim.to

Curtiss C-46 Commando Buffalo Airways C-FAVO - MSFS Add-on - Flightsim.to

✓ For Microsoft Flight Simulator: This add-on provides a repaint of the Curtiss C-46 Commando for Microsoft Flight Simulator, featuring Buffalo Airways' C-FAVO livery. The aircraft depicted has a detailed operational history from military to...
flightsim.to flightsim.to
 
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