The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-61043

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-61043

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26918

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU558

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  April 1944 to September 1945

  42-61043 - USAAF (USA)


14 April 1944

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

30 May 1944

Assigned to ATC North African Wing.

15 June 1944

Assigned to 20th Air Force, XX Bomber Command, 2nd Air Transport Squadron (Mobile), based at RAF Kalaikunda, Bengal, India. [probable, based on dates]

31 October 1944

Moved with 2nd Air Transport Squadron to Dergaon, Assam, India.

November 1944

Moved with 2nd Air Transport Squadron to Luliang, Yunnan, China.

Mid-1945

Assigned to ATC India-China Division. [to be confirmed]

18 September 1945

Damaged beyond repair 30km west of Paoshan, Yunnan, China in an accident following an engine failure.

Pilot: Joseph B. Raspanti (survived, retired a USAF Lt Colonel)

15 September 1945

Condemned for salvage, “washout”. [dates discrepancy]