Commando 41-5201

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-5201

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26403

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU43

FATE: Written off

  December 1942 to March 1945

  41-5201 - USAAF (USA)

---

29 December 1942

Accepted by the USAAF. Delivery delayed most likely for Curtiss to apply modifications.

21 February 1943

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

Assigned to New York LaGuardia, NY.

1 May 1943

Assigned to ATC North Atlantic Wing.

  March 1945 to November 1947

  41-5201 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

---

26 March 1945

Transferred to RFC, stored at Ontario AAF, CA.

  November 1947 to August 1953

  XA-GOT - AEROVIAS CONTRERAS (MEXICO)

---

21 November 1947

Purchased from RFC and christened “Ensenada”.

18 August 1953

Damaged beyond repair east of San Diego, CA (2/2 fatalities).

The Commando crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountaineous area. Both pilots were killed.

19 August 1953

Registration cancelled. Wreck sold as scrap to Allied Aircraft Co, North Hollywood, CA.

 

Photo credit : Bill Larkins