Commando 42-96560
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96560
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30222
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU758
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
July 1944 to October 1945
42-96560 - USAAF (USA)
4 July 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Assigned to Rosecrans Field, MO.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 4th Combat Cargo Group, 15th Combat Cargo Squadron, based at Bowman Field, KY.
25 October 1944
Received major damage at Bowman Field, KY in a landing accident.
Pilot: Richard W. Schmidt
October 1945 to 1948
42-96560 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)
26 October 1945
Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge, AAF, AR.
November 1948 to December 1949
XT-170 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)
18 November 1948
Purchased. [quoted as 1949 by JB]
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.
December 1949
XT-170 - CLAIRE L. CHENNAULT & WHITING WILLAUER (USA)
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 1953
N8386C - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)
19 December 1949
Transferred to CAT.
1955 to June 1955
CF-HVJ - WORLD WIDE AIRWAYS (CANADA)
1955
Purchased.
18 June 1955
Damaged beyond repair in Coral Harbour, NWT in an accident after takeoff (2/2 fatalities).
Shortly after takeoff, while in its initial climb, the Commando stalled and crashed past the end of the runway. The airplane was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Last edited: 19/08/2020