Commando 42-96638

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

  July 1944 to 1950

  42-96638 - USAAF (USA)

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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 1257^th 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)

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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)

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Unknown dates

Apparently leased, possibly from VARIG, dates unknown. [TBC]

  August 1954 to October 1967

  PP-VCL - VARIG (BRAZIL)

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21 August 1954

Converted to Super 46C.

Reregistered.

  October 1967 to February 1968

  N4085A (II) - PAN AERO CORPORATION (USA)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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1984

Purchased.

Fate unknown.