Commando 41-5201
Aircraft Identification
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
Operational Record
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
Last edited: 15/05/2019