Commando 42-96638
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96638
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30300
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU836
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
July 1944 to 1950
42-96638 - USAAF (USA)
28 July 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
18 August 1944
Assigned to ATC North African Division.
9 October 1944
Received major damage at Cairo Payne Field, Egypt in a landing accident.
Pilot: Robert L. Carper
Unknown date
Assigned to 1257th AAF Base Unit based at Marrakech Menara, French Morocco.
1 September 1945
Damaged at Marrakech Menara, French Morocco in a taxi accident.
Pilot: Edwin F. Hrapczynski
Unknown date
Assigned to Cairo Payne Field, Egypt.
23 July 1946
Condemned for salvage, probably by the Army-Navy Liquidation Commission.
1952 to August 1954
PP-VDI - VARIG (BRAZIL)
1952
Purchased.
22 September 1952
Ferry permit issued from Egypt.
Ferried to Venice, Italy and overhauled at Officine Aeronavali.
April 1954
Delivered to Brazil.
Unknown dates
HK-607 - LIA (LINEAS INTERAMERICANAS AEREAS) (COLOMBIA)
Unknown dates
Apparently leased, possibly from VARIG, dates unknown. [TBC]
October 1967 to February 1968
N4085A (II) - PAN AERO CORPORATION (USA)
October 1967
Purchased. [date uncertain] [second Commando to bear this registration, or more likely a mixup with 41-12369?]
February 1968 to April 1976
PJ-CLD - CLTM (CARAIBISCHE LUCHT TRANSPORT MIJ) (NETHERLANDS ANTILLES)
February 1968
Leased from Aero Exchange.
8 October 1968
Purchased.
November 1968
Registered.
Left: PJ-CLD in Miami, FL on 19 October 1970.
Photo credit: R. A. Scholefield / Airliners.net
Below, left: PJ-CLD at its Curacao base in the Dutch Antilles, on 28 March 1973.
Photo credit: Ad Vercruijsse / www.aviator.nl
Below, right: the same with a more recent livery, probably ca 1974.
Photo credit: Brian Stainer / NA3T
April 1976 to June 1976
N65306 - BELLOMY-LAWSON AVIATION (USA)
12 April 1976
Purchased and stored in Miami, FL.
14 April 1976
Registered.
14 July 1976
Registration cancelled.
July 1976 to 1979
HK-1857 - LAU (LINEAS AEREAS LA URRACA) (COLOMBIA)
July 1976
Purchased and christened “Guiania”.
9 March 1977
Received major damage in Puerto Inirida, Colombia in an accident.
Moved to Bogota El Dorado, Colombia and repaired.
15 May 1979
Received major damage in El Yopal, Colombia in an aborted takeoff. [or 27 May 1979]
Below, left: HK-1857, unknown date & location, in the process of being repainted?
Photo credit: www.aviationphotocompany.com
Below, right: HK-1857 in Villavicencio, Colombia, November 1978.
Photo credit: Jaime Escobar / llanopress.blogspot.com
1979 to 1984
HK-1857 - AEROSUCRE (COLOMBIA)
1979
Purchased and repaired.
Right: HK-1857, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: www.aviationphotocompany.com
1984 to unknown date
HK-1857 - TALA (TRANSPORTES AEREOS LATINOAMERICANOS) (COLOMBIA)
1984
Purchased.
Fate unknown.
Last edited: 12/01/2024