Commando 41-12403

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-12403

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26530

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU170

FATE: Written off

  June 1943 to September 1943

  41-12403 - USAAF (USA)

16 June 1943

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

11 July 1943

Assigned to ATC India-China Wing, 1^st Transport Group, 3^rd Transport Squadron, based at Chabua, Assam, India.

14 August 1943

Went missing on a flight over the Hump after departing from Chabua, Assam, India (4/4 missing). [MACR 539]

Crew:
Flt Off Raul "Roy" N. Perez (Pilot), pictured
Ward (Copilot)
Nysteen (Radio Operator)
Goonan (Crew Chief)

The Commando departed Chabua on a cargo flight to Kunming, Yunnan, China. The flight was planned to last 3 hours, while the airplane took off with 8 hours of fuel onboard. There were major storms forecasted along the route of flight. The crew's last radio contact indicated they were flying over the mountains and had no mechanical difficulties. There were never heard from again, and the wreckage has not been found to this day.

24 September 1943

Condemned for salvage.