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The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-101158

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-101158

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30613

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1149

FATE: Broken up

Operational Record

  October 1944 to July 1949

  42-101158 - USAAF (USA)


4 October 1944

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

Assigned to the 2nd Combat Cargo Group, 5th Combat Cargo Squadron based at Baer Field, IN.

Marked "X618".

Ferried from Fairfield-Suisun AAB, CA to Townsville, Australia.

Crew:
1st Lt. Eugene M. Olmsted, Pilot
2nd Lt. Claude H. Spencer, Copilot

10 November 1944

Assigned to Brisbane Eagle Farm, Queensland, Australia.

Late 1944

Moved to Biak AAF, Papua, Dutch East Indies with the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron.

Involved in the transport of supplies and troops to American and Filipino forces in the Philippines.

May 1945

Moved to Dulag Field, Philippines with the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron.

Operated flights to Australia, New Guinea, and within the Philippines, and transported personnel and supplies to the Ryukyus, evacuating casualties on the return flights.

August 1945

Moved to Bolo Point, Okinawa, Japan with the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron.

Operated flights carrying occupation forces personnel and equipment to Japan, and ferrying liberated prisoners of war to the Philippines.

September 1945

Moved to Yokota AB, Japan with the 5th Combat Cargo Squadron.

14 January 1948

Assigned to Tachikawa AB, Japan.

23 June 1949

Reclamation authorized, possibly by the Army-Navy Liquidation Commission.

29 July 1949

Reclamation completed, probably at Tachikawa AB, Japan.

[according to JB, condemned for salvage as obsolete on 1 August 1947]

Last edited: 01/09/2020