Commando 42-107382

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-107382

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 27069

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU709

FATE: Written off

  June 1944 to 1954

  42-107382 - USAAF (USA)

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1 June 1944

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

15 July 1944

Assigned to ATC North African Division, 1264^th AAF Base Unti, Cairo Payne Field, Egypt.

16 August 1945

Damaged at Cairo Payne Field, Egypt in a taxi accident.

23 July 1946

Condemned for salvage, probably by the Army-Navy Liquidation Commission.

  1954 to December 1954

  PP-VDE - VARIG (BRAZIL)

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1954

Purchased.

Ferried from Cairo Payne Field, Egypt to Venice, Italy for overhaul at Officine Aeronavali.

Eventually not taken up by VARIG.

[most sources actually mention direct ownership of this aircraft by Officine Aeronavali]

  December 1954 to September 1956

  JY-ABV - JORDAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (JORDAN)

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December 1954

Purchased.

9 September 1956

Damaged beyond repair on approach to Amman Marka Airport, Jordan after hitting a hill (1/56 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a scheduled passenger service between Amman, Jordan, and Kuwait with 4 crew and 53 passengers. Shortly after takeoff from Amman Marka Airport, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems and received the permission to return for an emergency landing. The pilot completed a circuit and started the descent. With its undercarriage still raised, the aircraft struck the top of a hill located few miles short of the runway threshold, went out of control and eventually crashed into flames. A passenger was killed and ten others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire.