Commando 42-96607

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96607

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30269

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU805

FATE: Broken up

  July 1944 to September 1947

  42-96607 - USAAF (USA)

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July 1944

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

  September 1947 to ca 1953

  42-96607 - USAF (USA)

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18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Modified by Curtiss-Wright for USAF.

ca 1949

Assigned to the 516^th Troop Carrier Group, 345^th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Memphis Municipal, TN.

27 November 1951

Received major damage at Buckley AFB, CO in a landing accident.

Pilot: Richard H. Furr

  ca 1953 to December 1957

  42-96607 - CALIFORNIA EASTERN AVIATION INC. (USA)

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Unknown date

Probably leased by the USAF to California Eastern Aviation.

  December 1957 to March 1965

  42-96607 - USAF (USA)

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14 December 1957

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

2 April 1964

Sent for reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

  March 1965 to April 1969

  N91363 - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)

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2 March 1965

Purchased less engines from USAF. Total airframe time 5,758 hours.

  April 1969 to 1970

  HK-812W - SOEXA (SOCIEDAD DE EXPLOTACION AGROPECUARIA) (COLOMBIA)

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15 April 1969

Registered.

  1970 to June 1983

  HK-812 - AEROPESCA (COLOMBIA)

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1970

Registered.

11 July 1973

Received major damage in Villavicencio, Colombia in an explosion (0/3 fatalities).

Right wing severely damaged when fuel vapors exploded. [probably on the ground]

 

Right: HK-812, unknown date & location.
Below: HK-812, unknown date & location.
Photo credit for both: Paul Zogg / www.zoggavia.com

  June 1983 to 1987

  HK-812 - INTERCONTINENTAL DE AVIACION (COLOMBIA)

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3 June 1983

Transferred as Aeropesca became Intercontinental de Aviacion.

 

Above, right: HK-812 at Villavicencio, Colombia in March 1983 [date discrepancy].
Photo credit: BuchairCards / JP Editions

  1987 to June 2004

  HK-812 - AEROSOL (COLOMBIA)

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1987

Purchased, but never repainted.

ca 1990

Withdrawn from use and stored at Bogota El Dorado, Colombia.

June 2004

Broken up at Bogota El Dorado, Colombia.

 

Left: HK-812 standing on a dirt apron of Bogota, Colombia on 11 November 1992. Note the faded Inter colors.
Photo credit: Peter M Garwood / Airliners.net