The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-101118

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-101118

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30573

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1109

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  September 1944 to November 1945

  42-101118 - USAAF (USA)


19 September 1944

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

Assigned to I Troop Carrier Command, based at Baer Field, IN.

Stayed within the Continental USA.

  November 1945 to November 1948

  42-101118 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


15 November 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

  November 1948 to May 1950

  N51658 - UNITED SERVICES FOR AIR INC. (USA)


November 1948

Purchased from RFC.

24 November 1948

Registered.

26 June 1950

Registration cancelled, export to Colombia.

  May 1950 to April 1955

  HK-158 - AVIANCA (COLOMBIA)


May 1955

Purchased.

21 September 1952

Damaged in Barranquilla, Colombia in an accident.

  April 1955 to ca 1974

  YV-C-AVB - AVENSA (AEROVIAS VENEZOLANAS SA) (VENEZUELA)


April 1955

Purchased.

11 July 1955

Registered.

 

Right: an unidentified shot of YV-C-AVB
Photo credit: Air Britain

  ca 1974 to ca 1975

  YV-C-TGI - LATIN CARGA (VENEZUELA)


ca 1974

Purchased.

ca 1975

Withdrawn from use and stored at Caracas Simon Bolivar, Venezuela.

[PL quotes a reregistration to YV-141C in 1975, but if it actually happened it was never taken up]

 

Left: YV-C-TGI engineless and derelict at Caracas Simon Bolivar on 9 October 1980.
Photo credit: Peter Davis / Air Britain