The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 41-12428

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-12428

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26555

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU195

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  July 1943 to August 1943

  41-12428 - USAAF (USA)


10 July 1943

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

2 August 1943

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

18 August 1943

Exploded in flight over Mowting, India (4/4 fatalities). [location also reported as Mowting-Hsien, Yunnan, China, but neither of these can be found anywhere]

Enroute, the Commando exploded and crashed in a prairie, killing all four crew members. The exact circumstances of the accident remain unknown.

Crew:
F/O Elmer Nelson, Pilot
2nd Lt William M. Van Sant, Copilot
Cpl Frank W. Coriell
Cpl Edward C. Walicki

23 August 1943

Condemned for salvage.