The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

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.

  1960 to June 1961

  N4161A - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


1960

Purchased.

  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Withdrawn from use, stored and partially dismantled in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.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?]