Commando 42-96700

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96700

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30362

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU898

FATE: Written off

  August 1944 to November 1945

  42-96700 - USAAF (USA)

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18 August 1944

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

Assigned to I Troop Carrier Command, based at Baer Field, IN.

  November 1945 to 1946

  42-96700 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

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6 November 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

  1946 to 1947

  C-68 - LATCO (LINEAS AEREAS TRANSATLANTICAS COLOMBIANAS) (COLOMBIA)

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1946

Purchased from RFC.

  1947 to 1951

  HK-68 - LATCO (LINEAS AEREAS TRANSATLANTICAS COLOMBIANAS) (COLOMBIA)

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1947

Reregistered.

  1951 to January 1953

  HK-605 - LIA (LINEAS INTERAMERICANAS AEREAS) (COLOMBIA)

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1951

Purchased.

29 January 1953

Damaged beyond repair in Bogota, Colombia in an emergency landing following an engine failure (0/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Bogota, Cartagena and Barranquilla. Shortly after takeoff, while in the initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with the left engine. The Captain completed an emergency landing in a wasteland located 6 km southeast of the airport, in the Santa Lucia suburb of Bogota. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probably later dismantled and sold for parts.