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Commando 44-77996

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77996

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33392

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1928

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  March 1945 to September 1947

  44-77996 - USAAF (USA)

March 1945

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

  September 1947 to September 1963

  44-77996 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 313th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Mitchel AFB, NY.

25 March 1953

Received minor damage at Mitchel AFB, NY in a taxi accident.

Pilot: Edwin J. Temmel

The Commando apparently ran out of fuel while taxiing, and hit parked sistership 44-77838 [typo "44-778383"] of the same squadron. Both airplanes were damaged.

Unknown date

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

26 July 1958

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

25 September 1963

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

26 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 April 1965

  N10706 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)

3 July 1963

Registered.

September 1963

Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.

Unknown date

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

3 July 1964

Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.

  April 1965 to February 1970

  VT-DSA - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)

5 April 1965

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

  44-77996 - 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