Commando 42-96534

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96534

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30196

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU732

FATE: Written off

  July 1944 to June 1946

  42-96534 - USAAF (USA)

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3 July 1944

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

Assigned to Air Transport Command, based at Baer Field, IN.

Unknown date

Assigned to 807^th AAF Base Unit, Bergstrom AAF, TX.

26 November 1944

Damaged at Bergstrom AAF, TX in a ground accident while parked.

  June 1946 to 1947

  42-96534 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

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5 June 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge, AAF, AR.

  1947 to October 1948

  NC50263 - SUN CHEMICAL CORPORATION (USA)

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1947

Purchased from RFC.

  October 1948 to December 1949

  XT-164 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)

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15 October 1948

Purchased.

May 1949

Ferried to Hong Kong after the Nationalist defeat in mainland China, and impounded by British Authorities under threat from the Communist Chinese government.

13 November 1949

Registration certificate suspended by the Nationalist government.

  December 1949

  XT-164 - CLAIRE L. CHENNAULT & WHITING WILLAUER (USA)

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12 December 1949

Purchased by Claire Chennault & Whiting Willauer, managers of CAT – while still grounded at Hong Kong Kai Tak. This was part of an attempt supported by the US State Department to regain ownership of several CNAC & CATC aircraft.

  December 1949 to May 1955

  N8383C - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)

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19 December 1949

Transferred to CAT.

  May 1955 to March 1956

  N1376N - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)

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May 1955

Reregistered.

  March 1956 to June 1958

  HK-391 - LLOYD AEREO COLOMBIANO (COLOMBIA)

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March 1956

Purchased and christened “Santa Maria”. [“Santa Margarita” according to Aviacol.net]

26 June 1958

Damaged beyond repair in Puerto Colombia, Colombia in a forced landing on the shore (0/23 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a scheduled passenger flight between Barranquilla, Colombia and Miami, FL. Enroute, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to divert to the nearest airport. Eventually, the Captain decided to attempt an emergency landing on a beach located near Puerto Colombia. The airplane belly landed on the shore and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Remains dismantled and stored at Bogota El Dorado Airport, Colombia.

4 December 1968

Remains destroyed by TAXADER Douglas DC3 HK-873 in unknown circumstances.