The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-77546

Aircraft Identification

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77546

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32942

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1478

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77546 - USAAF (USA)


December 1944

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

Unknown date

Assigned to 813th AAF Base Unit, Sedalia AAF, MO with I Troop Carrier Command.

15 January 1945

Received major damage at Sedalia AAF, MO in a ground accident while parked.

The Commando was hit by Douglas C-47 Skytrain 43-15280 of the same unit, piloted by Harold C. Samuels. The C-47 apparently suffered a mechanical failure which caused it to hit the Commando. Both aircraft received major damage.

  September 1947 to unknown date

  44-77546 - USAF (USA)


18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Long Beach AFB, CA.

10 May 1958

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

2 February 1959

Sent for reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

  Unknown date to March 1961

  N9894Z - SAT (SOUTHERN AIR TRANSPORT) (USA)


Unknown date

Purchased.

  March 1961 to April 1961

  N9894Z - AIR AMERICA (USA)


31 March 1961

Purchased.

  April 1961 to Summer 1961

  AN-AMG - LOS HERMANOS SEBASTIAN Y GOMEZ (USA)


4 April 1961

Purchased as a replacement aircraft for HP-314, lost in March 1961. [Jaime Camargo, mentionned by many sources, was the contact person]

Registration either not taken up or only used for a few weeks.

Based at Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua and used by the Cuban Fuerza Aerea de Liberacion.

17-19 April 1961

Took part in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.

Summer 1961

Damaged beyond repair in a accident during a normal flight out of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua (no fatalities).

[Did not become XV-NIG, which was actually Commando 44-77621]

Last edited: 12/04/2024