Commando 42-3577
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-3577
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26710
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU350
FATE: Broken up
Operational Record
December 1943
42-3577 - USAAF (USA)
6 December 1943
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
December 1943 to unknown date
39523 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)
19 December 1943
Transferred and assigned to MCAS Cherry Point, NC.
29 December 1943
Redesignated as R5C-1.
August 1944
Assigned to VMR-252.
September 1944
Assigned to VMR-952 based in Emirau, Bismarck Archipelago.
May 1945
Assigned to VMR-953 based at MCAS Ewa, HI.
June 1945
Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).
August 1945
Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.
March 1946
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), Marine Fleet Air West Coast.
1 April 1946
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.
29 April 1946
Assigned to MAG-33.
Unknown date
Assigned to MAG-33 Service Squadron (Servron-33).
13 June 1946
Assigned to VMR-253 based at MCAS Miramar, CA.
November 1946
Assigned to VMR-152 based in China.
January 1947
Assigned to MAG-25 Service Squadron (Servron-25).
February 1947
Assigned to Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific based at MCAS Ewa, HI.
20 June 1947
Assigned to VMR-153 based at MCAS Tsingtao, Shandong, China, to support the evacuation of liberated prisoners from the Weixian Internment Camp.
July 1948
Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.
1958 to 1960
N46X - ASSOCIATED AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
1958
Purchased.
6 August 1958
Damaged in Cheyenne, WY when it overran the runway on landing into a 30-foot embankment. Repaired.
1960 to 1961
1961 to December 1964
SE-CFG - TRANSAIR SWEDEN (SWEDEN)
1961
Purchased.
16 March 1961
Delivered in Miami, FL. Total airframe time 4,753 hours.
8 April 1961
Arrived in Malmo, Sweden.
December 1964 to 1966
SE-CFG - ONUC (UNITED NATIONS OPERATION IN THE CONGO)
December 1964
Leased by Transair Sweden to the United Nations mission in Congo.
13 December 1964
Delivered from Malmo, Sweden to Leopoldville, Congo.
6 March 1966
Damaged beyond repair in a hard landing in Bunia, Congo (0/3 fatalities).
The Commando was operating a humanitarian flight on behalf of the United Nations. On short final into Bunia, Congo, the airplane was too low and struck a sand pile with its left main gear. The pilot-in-command continued the approach and completed the landing. Later on, the aircraft was inspected in Stanleyville, Congo and damage to the airplane appeared to be substantial, eventually beyond repair. The accident was attributed to poor judgement on the part of the crew, who continued the final approach at an insufficient altitude.
[from late 1963, the ONUC contract had apparently been transferred to the Congolese Government, thence SE-CFG was actually probably operated by them and not the UN, even though no source mentions that]
1966 to unknown date
9Q-CWR - ANSTALT WIGMO (CONGO KINSHASA)
1966
Wreckage bought for scrap in Kinshasa, Congo. Total airframe time 11,271 hours. Aircraft repaired and returned to service.
Unknown date to 1969
9T-PLL - ANSTALT WIGMO (CONGO KINSHASA)
Unknown date
Received a military registration.
1969 to 1971
9T-PLL - SODEMAC (CONGO KINSHASA)
1969
Transferred as Wigmo changed its name to SODEMAC.
1971 to early 1980's
9T-PLL - SODEMAZ (ZAIRE)
1971
Transferred as SODEMAC changed its name to SODEMAZ.
27 December 1971
Last documented flight.
Withdrawn from use due to severe corrosion caused by the acid from batteries that were carried upside down.
Stored at Kinshasa Ndjili, Zaire.
Early 1980's
Last seen abandonned at Kinshasa Ndjili, Zaire.
Broken up.
Last edited: 17/04/2021