Commando 41-24762
Aircraft Identification
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
Operational Record
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.
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.
Last edited: 21/01/2019