Commando 42-101078
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-101078
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30533
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1069
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
September 1944 to unknown date
42-101078 - CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION (USA)
13 September 1944
Transferred from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY to the one in Louisville, KY.
Unknown date to April 1946
42-101078 - USAAF (USA)
Unknown date
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.
Assigned to the 4th Combat Cargo Group, 14th Combat Cargo Squadron based at Bowman Field, KY.
Mid-November 1944
Ferried from Morrison Field, FL to Sylhet, Bengal, India.
Crew:
1st Lt. William R. King Jr., Pilot
2nd Lt. Anthony J. Kretten, Copilot
SSgt. Ira J. Cherry, Crew Chief
Sgt. Kenwood L. Boyington, Radio Operator
1 December 1944
Ferried through Karachi, Sindh, India.
Early December 1944
Arrived in Sylhet, Bengal, India with the 14th Combat Cargo Squadron.
Transported reinforcements and supplies for Allied forces in Burma.
December 1944
Transported material and equipment for the Ledo Road.
Early January 1945
Moved to Agartala, Tripura, India with the 14th Combat Cargo Squadron.
Late January 1945
Moved to Chittagong, Bengal, India with the 14th Combat Cargo Squadron.
February 1945
Transported men, mules, and boats to support the Allied crossing of the Irrawaddy River, Burma.
May 1945
Dropped Gurkha paratroops during the assault on Rangoon.
June 1945
Moved to Namponmao, Burma with the 14th Combat Cargo Squadron.
Transported ammunition, gasoline, mules, and men to China.
November 1945
Moved to RAF Ondal, Bengal, India with the 14th Combat Cargo Squadron.
April 1946 to July 1954
July 1954 July 1954 to December 1955
N68852 - BORGES TILLOTSON AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)
July 1954
Purchased.
20 May 1955
Arrived in London Heathrow, UK during the ferry flight from India to the USA.
Pilot refused to continue and abandoned the plane.
2 July 1955
Finally left London Heathrow, UK for the USA with another ferry pilot.
Right: N68852 stranded in Heathrow, summer of 1955. Judging by its appearance, one might guess why the pilot refused to cross the Atlantic with this aircraft.
Photo credit: Brian Stainer / M. West / Air Britain
ca 1956 to May 1957
XA-LIC - TIGRES VOLADORES (MEXICO)
ca 1956
Leased from Accesorios Aeronauticos by J. H. Lopez, to be operated by Tigres Voladores.
May 1957 to September 1961
XB-FIY - ACCESORIOS AERONAUTICOS (MEXICO)
May 1957
Returned from lease to J. H. Lopez.
Withdrawn from use in Celaya, Mexico.
October 1958
Ferried to Mexico City, Mexico.
6 April 1959
Reregistered.
September 1961
N218C - CAROLINA AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)
25 September 1961
Purchased.
5 March 1962
Reregistered. [also quoted as 12 March 1962]
1962 to May 1962
HR-196P - HONDURAS INTERNATIONAL (HONDURAS)
1962
Lease-purchased from Canley and Martin by C. Varney Arnspiger & Lucille Arnspiger, to be operated by Honduras International.
21 May 1962
Damaged beyond repair in San Perdo Sula, Honduras in an accident after takeoff (2/2 fatalities and 3 ground fatalities).
The Commando was operating a cargo flight from San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Shortly after takeoff, during the initial climb, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a residential area. Both pilots and three people on the ground were killed, while the aircraft and several buildings were destroyed.
Last edited: 07/09/2020