Commando 41-24762

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-24762

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26683

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU323

FATE: Written off

  November 1943 to December 1943

  41-24762 - USAAF (USA)

11 November 1943

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

  December 1943 to unknown date

  39516 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)

6 December 1943

Transferred as R5C-1.

By August 1944

Assigned to VMR-952 based in Emirau, Bismarck Archipelago.

December 1944

VMR-952 joins the Transport Air Group, based in Guam, Mariana Islands.

February 1945

Participated with VMR-952 in the battle of Iwo Jima.

May 1945

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

February 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

March 1946

Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).

June 1946

Assigned to Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific based at MCAS Ewa, HI.

February 1947

Assigned to Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific based in Guam, Mariana Islands.

June 1947

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAW-1.

August 1947

Assigned to VMR-153, based at MCAS Tsingtao, Shandong, China.

  Unknown date to June 1958

  N4090A - MARCO INDUSTRIES INC. (USA)

Unknown date

Purchased.

  June 1958 to December 1958

  N4090A - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)

June 1958

Purchased and converted to Super 46C.

  December 1958 to January 1959

  LV-PLX - TSA (TRANSCONTINENTAL SA) (ARGENTINA)

December 1958

Purchased and given a temporary registration ("pasavante").

  January 1959 to December 1961

  LV-FTX - TSA (TRANSCONTINENTAL SA) (ARGENTINA)

13 January 1959

Reregistered.

Right: LV-FTX in its Transcontinental days, but wearing no titles.
Photo credit: airlinehobby.com

  December 1961 to Late 1964

  LV-FTX - ALA (AUSTRAL LINEAS AEREAS) (ARGENTINA)

22 December 1961

Purchased from Transcontinental after its bankruptcy.

Left: LV-FTX in Austral colors.
Photo credit: 1000aircraftphotos.com

  Late 1964 to February 1971

  TAM-60 - TAM (TRANSPORTE AEREO MILITAR) (BOLIVIA)

Late 1964

Purchased.

17 February 1971

Damaged beyond repair near La Paz, Bolivia when it crashed into Mount Cunatincuta shortly after departure (12/12 fatalities).

The Commando, on a flight from La Paz to San Borja, Bolivia, struck Mount Cunatincuta 13 minutes after takeoff.