Commando 42-96772
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96772
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30434
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU970
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
September 1944
42-96772 - USAAF (USA)
7 September 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
September 1944 to 1960
39557 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)
7 September 1944
Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.
10 September 1944
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.
22 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.
21 January 1946
Assigned to Marine Fleet Air, West Coast.
February 1946
Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).
March 1946
Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.
10 July 1946
Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.
25 July 1946
Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ.
August 1960
Struck off charge as surplus.
1960 to ca 1961
ca 1961 to unknown date
XA-NUD - SAESA (SERVICIOS AEREOS ESPECIALES SA) (MEXICO)
ca 1961
Purchased.
Unknown date
Withdrawn from use and stored in Mexico City, Mexico.
Below, left: XA-NUD in SAESA colors in Mexico City.
Photo credit: Christian Volpati / www.airlinefan.com
Below, right: XA-NUD still stored in Mexico City on 27 June 1978, with faded colors…
Photo credit: Mick Bajcar / www.airhistory.net
