The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page
  1. Home
  2. Aircraft
  3. S/N 42-96529 to 42-96802: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU & C-46D-1-CU Commando
  4. Commando 42-96543

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.

  December 1967 to October 1970

  B-1549 - CHINA AIRLINES (TAIWAN)

12 December 1967

Purchased.

  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