The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-96661

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96661

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30323

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU859

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  August 1944

  42-96661 - USAAF (USA)


3 August 1944

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

  August 1944 to June 1956

  39546 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)


3 August 1944

Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

29 September 1944

Assigned to VMR-953, based at Corvallis AAF, OR.

30 September 1944

Moved with VMR-953 to MCAS Ewa, HI.

Operated flights extending into Pacific combat areas including Leyte in December 1944 and Okinawa in May 1945.

January 1946

Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).

March 1946

Assigned to San Diego, CA.

August 1946

Stored at NAS South Weymouth, MA.

December 1946

Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ.

  June 1956 to October 1956

  N3943A - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


June 1956

Purchased and converted to a civilian cargo aircraft with reinforced flooring.

  October 1956

  LV-PBH - AEROVIAS MONDER (ARGENTINA)


6 October 1956

Purchased for $90,000 and given an import registration (“pasavante”).

  October 1956 to December 1957

  LV-FSA - AEROVIAS MONDER (ARGENTINA)


29 October 1956

Reregistered.

  December 1957 to 1966

  LV-FSA - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)


23 December 1957

Transferred as Aerovias Monder was merged into Austral. Christened “Caiquen”.

Used for cargo with the fuselage bearing the label “Carga Aerea” (Air Cargo).

October 1960

Based in Mendoza, Argentina.

Used alongside LV-GJS on operation "Tuco", carrying meat to Chile and onions on the way back two to three times a day.

Pilots: I. Fernandez, E. Ford and others.

 

Right: this very early shot of LV-FSA, probably circa 1958, still shows “Monder SRL” on the tail.
Photo credit: Linea ALA Blog / linea-ala.blogspot.com
Below: the “Carga Aerea” subtitles are very clear on this 31 October 1976 shot of LV-FSA at Buenos Aires Aeroparque.
Photo credit: Linea ALA Blog / linea-ala.blogspot.com

  1966 to unknown date

  LV-FSA - AEROVIAS HALCON (ARGENTINA)


1966

Leased from Austral.

 

  Unknown date to July 1979

  LV-FSA - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)


Unknown date

Returned from lease with Aerovias Halcon.

5 September 1968

Damaged in El Zorro, Argentina in a forced landing. Repaired. [date also quoted as 3 September 1968]

1970’s

Used as technical support aircraft with the fuselage bearing the label “Apoyo Tecnico” (Technical Support).

Frequently used on the Buenos Aires, Argentina to Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil route with technical stops in Montevideo, Uruguay and Porto Alegre, Brazil to carry Rolls-Royce engines for the BAC-111 and YS-11 fleets.

1978

Withdrawn from use.

 

Right: LV-FSA, already a tech support aircraft, is seen at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International, Argentina in 1978.
Photo credit: Jorge Albanese / Airliners.net
Below: LV-FSA probably making loading technical parts in Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil in September 1978.
Photo credit: Helio Ba-stos Salmon / Airliners.net

 

  July 1979 to August 1979

  N8040Y - AIRCRAFT LINE MAINTENANCE (USA)


30 July 1979

Purchased.

4 August 1979

Damaged beyond repair on Tupungato Peak (21,555 ft), Chile in a CFIT while being ferried to Miami, FL (5/5 fatalities).

The Commando departed Buenos Aires, Argentina on a ferry flight to Miami, FL via Chile and Panama. It was crossing the Andes after a landing in Mendoza, Argentina when it impacted a glacier, breaking in three. The main fuselage slid to the bottom of the slope.

1981

Wreckage found by a Chilean SAR team that was looking for a missing helicopter.

Last edited: 30/11/2023