Commando 42-3659
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-3659
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26792
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU432
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
February 1944 to March 1946
42-3659 - USAAF (USA)
2 February 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
17 March 1944
Assigned to ATC Central African Wing.
27 June 1945
Assigned to Morrison Field, FL.
March 1946 to 1948
42-3659 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)
5 March 1946
Transferred to RFC, stored at Ontario AAF, CA.
1948
N67925 - ADOLPH "AL" W. SCHWIMMER (USA)
1948
Purchased from RFC. [registration is quoted as “NC67925” by JB]
1948 to unknown date
Unknown date to January 1957 January 1957 to March 1957
N9852F - SANDAY & CO. (USA)
7 January 1957
Purchased and registered.
[AV.CA and other online sources claim that the Commando instead went back to Al Schwimmer on the same date. It could have transited both through him and then through Sanday]
11 April 1957
Delivered, in Israel.
Unknown date
Sent to Venice, Italy for overhaul at Officine Aeronavali.
March 1957 to July 1958
N9852F - BOREAS CORPORATION (USA)
28 March 1957
Purchased.
18 April 1957
Delivered from Venice, Italy to the USA via Prestwick, UK.
April 1958
Departed to Oslo, Norway for an unknown contract.
6 July 1958
Returned from Oslo, Norway.
July 1958 to February 1980
N9852F - REEVE ALEUTIAN AIRWAYS (USA)
3 July 1958
Purchased. [date quote as 13 July 1958 by AB]
Right: N9852F at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK in September 1973.
Photo credit: Doug Duncan / 1000aircraftphotos.com
Below, left: N9852F standing proud amidst the junk of some Alaskan airfield.
Photo credit: Neil Aird / www.dhc-2.com
Below, right: A color photograph of the same, with its fuselage shining under the boreal sun.
Photo credit: Tom Baillie / www.dhc-2.com
February 1980 to September 1983
N9852F - FOSS AIR ALASKA (USA)
21 February 1980
Purchased.
Early 1982
Damaged in a landing mishap.
28 March 1982
Received major damage at Wulik River, AK [Kivalina, AK?] in a landing accident (0/2 fatalities).
On approach to the snow-covered strip at Wulik River, the crew noticed an aircraft parked at one end of the 4,000-foot runway, unloading its cargo. The pilot decided to land from the other direction, as the wind was calm. However, during the landing flare, the right main gear struck a snow berm and failed. The Commando bounced on the runway and the left gear folded. It then slid on the runway for about 1,000 feet before coming to a stop. Both pilots walked out uninjured.
1983
Certificate of airworthiness reissued, probably after repairs were completed.
September 1983 to August 1993
N9852F - WOODS AIR SERVICE (USA)
3 September 1983
Purchased by Warren C. “Buddy” Woods, to be operated by his company Woods Air Service, based in Palmer, AK.
23 August 1993
Registration cancelled as “destroyed”.
Last edited: 04/01/2024