Commando 44-77509
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77509
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32905
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1441
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
December 1944 to September 1947
44-77509 - USAAF (USA)
December 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
February 1945
Assigned to the 9th Air Force, 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313th Troop Carrier Group, 49th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Grevillers-Achiet (B-54), France.
24 March 1945
Damaged over Germany during Operation Varsity.
September 1947 to September 1957
44-77509 - USAF (USA)
18 September 1947
Transferred.
Circa 1952
Assigned to the 315th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 19th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Brady AB, Japan.
17 June 1954
Received major damage at Itazuke AB, Japan in a ground loop during landing.
September 1957 to May 1977
71-1131 - JASDF (JAPAN AIR SELF-DEFENSE FORCE) (JAPAN)
17 September 1957
Leased from the US Department of Defense as part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP).
Below, lines 1 & 2: 71-1131 at the Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan airshow on 21 May 1967.
Photo credit: Y. Toda & apphg / flyteam.jp
Bottom, left: 71-1131 taxiing in Osaka, Japan on 22 September 1979.
Photo credit: Rainer Haufschild / AirHistory.net
Bottom, right: the same, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: unknown / hikokikumo.net
May 1977 to October 1977
44-77509 - USAF (USA)
9 May 1977
Returned from lease and stored in Japan.
13 October 1977
Offered for sale at Miho AB, Japan. Total airframe time: 12,093 hours.
October 1977 to June 1978
N54512 - PRIVATE (USA)
October 1977
Purchased by Wayne Craft of Jackson, MS.
Intended for sale to SAS (Seletar Air Service) of Singapore, but not taken up.
1 March 1978
Registered.
28 July 1978
Registration cancelled, exported to the Philippines.
June 1978 to 1991
RP-C184 - OASIS (ORIENT AIR SYSTEMS & INTEGRATED SERVICES) (PHILIPPINES)
June 1978
Leased Wayne Craft.
Delivered.
9 September 1978
Registered.
1981
Withdrawn from use and stored in Manila, Luzon, Philippines.
Below, left: RP-C184 still in service at Manila International, February 1979, still wearing its old Japanese colors.
Photo credit: Brian G. Nichols
Below, right: RP-C184 now stored outside and derelict, still in Manila, 12 March 1983.
Photo credit: Brian Richards
1991 to unknown date
RP-C184 - MATS (MANILA AIR TRANSPORT SERVICES) (PHILIPPINES)
1991
Purchased.
Overhaul initiated but not completed as the company went bankrupt.
Abandoned on the ramp in Manila, fate unknown. [alternatively quoted as broken up in 1992 and seen with no engines and no rudder in February 1999 - not visible on GoogleEarth 2024]
Last edited: 23/01/2024