Commando 42-96543
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96543
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30205
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU741
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
July 1944 to September 1947
42-96543 - USAAF (USA)
July 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 3rd Operational Training Unit (3 OTU), based at Reno AAF, NV.
8 November 1944
Damaged at Reno AAF, NV in a ground accident while parked.
September 1947 to March 1965
42-96543 - USAF (USA)
18 September 1947
Transferred.
Unknown date
Modified by Curtiss-Wright for USAF.
Unknown date
Assigned to 2346th Air Force Reserve Training Center, based at Paine AFB, WA.
18 April 1958
Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
16 April 1964
Sent for reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
March 1965 to October 1967
N91368 - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)
2 March 1965
Purchased less engines from USAF. Total airframe time 5,918 hours.
October 1967 to December 1967
N91368 - KEN-AIR INC. (USA)
12 October 1967
Purchased and stored in Oakland, CA.
October 1967
Registration cancelled.
October 1970 to September 1972
CA-1 (III) - AIR AMERICA (USA)
October 1970
Operated by China Airlines under subcontract with Air America, wore an aluminium scheme.
28 April 1971 to 6 July 1971
Used by Air America on flights from Saigon to Danang, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Dalat Cam Ly, Qui Nhon, Quang Ngai, Tam Ky and Chu Lai, South Vietnam.
19 May 1972
Damaged in Tan Son Nhut, South Vietnam in a belly landing following an engine fire 21 km northeast of Saigon.
Towed to the Air America ramp and repaired.
11 September 1972 to 18 September 1972
Carried rice between Saigon, South Vietnam and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
[dates vary wildly between sources, but the one followed is the Air America monograph by Joe F. Leeker]
September 1972 to unknown date
B-1549 - CHINA AIRLINES (TAIWAN)
Late September 1972
Returned from lease contract with Air America.
Last edited: 19/02/2021