Commando 42-3677
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-3677
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26810
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU450
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
January 1944 to October 1945
42-3677 - USAAF (USA)
30 January 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY, but retained in Buffalo [for testing?].
14 March 1945
Assigned to Wright Field, OH.
October 1945 to 1952
42-3677 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)
5 October 1945
Transferred to RFC and stored at Bush Field, GA.
April 1954 to October 1955
F-OAFI - AIGLE AZUR (FRANCE)
April 1954
Purchased.
Assigned to Aigle Azur Extreme-Orient and based in French Indochina.
Right: a postcard of F-OAFI in its sleek Aigle Azur livery.
Photo credit: Christian Volpati / jjpostcards.com
Unknown dates
F-OAFI - AIR MAROC (FRENCH MOROCCO)
Unknown dates
Probably leased from Aigle Azur Maroc.
Left: Commando & DC3 line-up at Casablanca Anfa, French Morocco.
Below: several shots of F-OAFI seen in Bordeaux, France and Casablanca & Marrakech, French Morocco.
Photo credit: Jacques Guillem
October 1955 to January 1960
F-OAFI - AIR CAMEROUN (FRENCH CAMEROON)
October 1955
Purchased. Operated in cargo configuration, mainly as a meat carrier on the Fort Lamy, Chad to Douala, French Cameroon route.
December 1956
Damaged in an accident in Yaounde, French Cameroon. Repaired.
1959
Ferried to Bordeaux, France for major overhaul.
January 1960 to March 1965
F-OAFI - AIR CAMEROUN (CAMEROON)
1 January 1960
Transferred as Cameroon gained its independence.
3 February 1965
Damaged beyond repair in Garoua, Cameroon in a takeoff accident (4/4 fatalities). [erroneously quoted on 2 March 1965 by AB]
Shortly after takeoff from Garoua, while climbing, the Commando stalled and crashed, killing all four occupants.
Last edited: 09/12/2023