Commando 42-96769
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96769
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30431
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU967
FATE: Broken up
Operational Record
September 1944
42-96769 - USAAF (USA)
6 September 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
September 1944 to 1960
39554 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)
6 September 1944
Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.
10 September 1944
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.
26 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.
February 1946
Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).
March 1946
Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.
23 July 1946
Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.
26 July 1946
Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ.
10 August 1960
Struck off charge as surplus.
June 1961 to July 1962
XA-NUE - SAESA (SERVICIOS AEREOS ESPECIALES SA) (MEXICO)
12 June 1961
Registered.
July 1962 to December 1973
HR-SAN - SAHSA (SERVICIO AEREO DE HONDURAS SA) (HONDURAS)
30 July 1962
Purchased.
By February 1971
Withdrawn from use, stored and partially dismantled in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
24 December 1973
Registration cancelled.
December 1973 to July 1975
N64288 - BELLOMY-LAWSON AVIATION (USA)
December 1973
Purchased by Bellomy-Lawson Aviation Inc.
29 January 1974
Overhauled by Propeller Service of Miami Inc. of Opa Locka, FL.
13 February 1974
Delivered.
18 July 1974
Transferred to Bellomy-Lawson Inc. [8 August 1974 according to AV.CA]
July 1975
Broken up in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
12 August 1975
Registration cancelled.
[some sources cite this Commando as belonging to Propeller Services of Miami Inc. before being sold to Bellomy-Lawson. Did it ever leave Tegucigalpa, or was it simply dismantled there for spares by Bellomy and broken up?]