Commando 41-5204

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-5204

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26406

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU46

FATE: Written off

  December 1942 to August 1943

  41-5204 - USAAF (USA)

30 December 1942

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

27 February 1943

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

Assigned to New York LaGuardia, NY.

14 June 1943

Assigned to ATC India China Wing, 1^st Transport Group, 6^th Transport Squadron based in Chabua, Assam, India.

7 August 1943

Went missing in the Chirdwin Valley, Burma (6/6 missing). [MACR 316]

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Mohanbari, Assam, India and Yangkai, Yunnan, China. The crew apparently encountered engine problems. No trace of the aircraft was ever found.

Occupants:
2^nd Lt Max E. Wilbur, Pilot
1^st Lt Jack R. Tate, Copilot
2nd Lt Raymond V. Bouche, Navigator
T/Sgt Kullervo T. Aaltonen, Flight Engineer
T/Sgt Richard Stapleford, Radio Operator
F/O Kenneth E. Grill, passenger

14 August 1943

Condemned for salvage.

The six men who disappeared on 41-5204 on its last flight over the "Hump", from left to right in the order of the list above.
Photo credit: FAG