The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-77690

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77690

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33086

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1622

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  January 1945 to September 1947

  44-77690 - USAAF (USA)


January 1945

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

  September 1947 to September 1963

  44-77690 - USAF (USA)


18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard, 145th Air Transport Squadron (Medium) based at Akron-Canton, OH.

14 April 1958

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

28 August 1963

Departed Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for Miami, FL.

21 September 1963

Assigned to the 1045th Operational Evaluation and Training Group, effectively the CIA's air arm.

Supplied to foreign country under the Military Assistance Program.

  September 1963 to March 1964

  N10710 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)


7 March 1963

Registered.

September 1963

Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.

Test-flown by Capt. Connie Seigrist out of Marana, AZ.

5 June 1964

Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.

  March 1964 to February 1970

  VT-DRU - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)


31 March 1964

Registered.

Operated by the Aviation Research Center (ARC) of India with the technical support of the CIA as part of operation Oak Tree.

Based at Charbatia AB, Odisha, India, flying clandestine missions over Chinese-occupied Tibet.

  February 1970 to April 1973

  44-77690 - USAF (USA)


28 February 1970

Returned to the USAF.

Assigned to the 56th Special Operations Wing based at Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand.

1 April 1973

Struck off charge.

Fate unknown, probably never left India.

Last edited: 16/01/2024