Commando 41-12356

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-12356

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26483

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU123

FATE: Written off

  May 1943 to September 1943

  41-12356 - USAAF (USA)

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1 May 1943

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

Assigned to New Castle AAB, DE.

  September 1943

  41-12356 - NORTHWEST AIRLINES (USA)

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16 September 1943

Leased to Northwest Airlines, based in St Paul Minneapolis, MN.

23 September 1943

Crashed near McCloud, CA after double engine failure (5/6 fatalities).

In the evening, the Commando left McClellan Field, CA on a routine flight to Seattle, WA. After take off, the pilot completed a circuit over the airport to reach the assigned altitude of 16,500 feet and reduced the engine power to 35 inches of manifold pressure and 2,300 RPM. After a few minutes, the right engine failed. Attempts were made to restart the engine, but all attempts failed. By then the left engine had also failed. A crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All five occupants were killed while the sixth was found alive. [other reports mention only an engine fire]

Crew:
Cpt Marvin E. Bradley
Cpl Robert E. Delmar
2^nd Lt Christopher P. Gadsden Jr.
2^nd Lt Joe F. Welch.