The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-96669

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96669

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30331

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU867

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  July 1944 to August 1955

  42-96669 - USAAF (USA)


31 July 1944

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

23 August 1944

Assigned to ATC North African Division.

Unknown date

Assigned to Cairo Payne Field, Egypt.

23 July 1946

Condemned for salvage, probably by the Army-Navy Liquidation Commission, but apparently not broken up.

  August 1955 to July 1956

  N9902F - SANDAY & CO. (USA)


1 August 1955

Purchased.

Overhauled and converted to C-46F by Officine Aeronavali in Venice, Italy.

["C-46F" is believed to mean "C-46 Freighter" and not the USAAF C-46F designation]

[some sources mention direct ownership of this aircraft by Officine Aeronavali]

  July 1956 to November 1963

  N9902F - RIDDLE AIRLINES (USA)


31 July 1956

Purchased by Aircraft Investment Corporation and leased to Riddle Airlines.

19 July 1959

Purchased.

  November 1963 to July 1964

  N9902F - AIRLIFT INTERNATIONAL (USA)


29 November 1963

Transferred as Riddle Airlines became Airlift International.

  July 1964 to September 1966

  N9902F - ZANTOP AIR TRANSPORT (USA)


16 July 1964

Leased from Airlift International.

4 August 1966

Purchased. [30 June 1966 according to AB]

  September 1966 to March 1968

  N9902F - UNIVERSAL AIRLINES (USA)


September 1966

Transferred as Zantop Air Transport became Universal Airlines.

  March 1968 to December 1968

  N9902F - AVIATION ASSOCIATES OF GEORGIA (USA)


15 March 1968

Purchased.

  December 1968 to February 1970

  N9902F - WILAIR INC. (USA)


9 December 1968

Purchased. [January 1969 according to AB]

  February 1970 to November 1971

  N9902F - ASSOCIATED AIRMOTIVE INC. (USA)


12 February 1970

Purchased.

  November 1971 to October 1976

  N9902F - SHAMROCK AIRLINES (USA)


19 November 1971

Purchased.

 

Right: N9902F in January 1976 wearing Shamrock colors.
Photo credit: Air Team Images / www.airteamimages.com
Below: Shamrock’s N9902F at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin, Puerto Rico on 14 April 1976, months before the airline’s demise.
Photo credit: Tony Pearce / Air Britain

  October 1976 to March 1977

  N9902F - CASAIR (USA)


17 October 1976

Purchased.

  March 1977 to February 1979

  N9902F - AIRCRAFT MODIFICATIONS INC. (USA)


21 March 1977

Purchased.

  February 1979 to July 1979

  N9902F - QUARTERWINDS AVIATION (USA)


27 February 1979

Purchased.

  July 1979 to November 1979

  N9902F - PRIVATE (USA)


24 July 1979

Purchased by Jose A. Baez.

  November 1979

  N9902F - PRIVATE (USA)


29 November 1979

Purchased by Bruno A. Rafael.

  November 1979 to May 1980

  N9902F - NASCO LEASING CORPORATION (USA)


30 November 1979

Purchased.

  May 1980 to August 1980

  N9902F - LAND & SEA UNLIMITED (USA)


13 May 1980

Purchased.

  August 1980 to unknown date

  N9902F - CARIBBEAN TRADERS INC. (USA)


28 August 1980

Purchased. [23 October 1980 according to WBR & AV.CA]

Last edited: 18/02/2020