Commando 44-77883

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77883

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33279

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1815

FATE: Stored

  February 1945 to September 1947

  44-77883 - USAAF (USA)

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February 1945

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

  September 1947 to August 1963

  44-77883 - USAF (USA)

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18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to 2346^th Air Force Reserve Training Center, based at Hamilton AFB, CA.

13 April 1958

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

14 August 1963

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

19 August 1963

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

Supplied to foreign country under the Military Assistance Program.

  August 1963 to February 1964

  N10703 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)

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7 January 1963

Registered.

August 1963

Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.

22 November 1963

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

5 June 1964

Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.

  February 1964 to present

  VT-DRN - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)

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22 February 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.

Unknown date

Retired from service.

Displayed outside at Sarsawa Air Force Station, Uttar Pradesh, India.

 

Right: VT-DRN at the Research and Analysis Wing's Aviation HQ, Sarsawa, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Photo credit: Warbirds of India