Commando 42-96785

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96785

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30447

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU983

FATE: Written off

  September 1944 to September 1947

  42-96785 - USAAF (USA)

September 1944

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

  September 1947 to February 1958

  42-96785 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Modified by Curtiss-Wright for USAF.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 2346^th Air Force Reserve Training Center based at McClellan AFB, CA.

24 September 1957

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

24 October 1957

Sent for reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

  February 1958 to ca 1960

  N5257V - MADDEN & PLAYFORD AIRCRAFT (USA)

10 February 1958

Purchased.

  ca 1960 to July 1961

  N5257V - AVIATION SUPPLIES INC. (USA)

1960

Purchased.

  July 1961 to January 1962

  ZP-CAI - AEROCARGA (PARAGUAY)

17 July 1961

Purchased.

17 January 1962

Damaged beyond repair 50 km southeast of Curuzu Cuatia, Argentina by a ground fire after a forced landing (0/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a contraband flight with 2 crewmembers and a load of cigarettes. After crash landing in a remote location, the illegal cargo was removed from the plane and the wreckage was presumably set on fire to destroy any evidence.

[Several sources quote this Commando as being later registered as ZP-CAQ on 28 June 1962]