Commando 42-96790

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96790

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30452

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU988

FATE: Broken up

  September 1944

  42-96790 - USAAF (USA)

18 September 1944

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

  September 1944 to 1954

  39574 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)

18 September 1944

Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.

October 1944

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

December 1944

Assigned to VMR-352, probably based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

9 February 1945

Assigned to VMR-353, based in Saipan, Marianna Islands.

Participated in the evacuation of wounded from Iwo Jima and later from Okinawa

January 1946

Assigned to VMR-252, probably based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

June 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

22 October 1946

Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.

November 1946

Assigned to VMR-252, based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

April 1953

Struck off charge at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

[erroneously quoted by many as Bu.No.39564, which is actually 42-101044]

  1954 to 1961

  XH-TND (II) - TAN (TRANSPORTES AEREOS NACIONALES) (HONDURAS)

1954

Purchased, probably through some US broker.

[second time this registration was given to a Commando, the other one is 44-78544 of Air America, previously registered N13500]

Right: XH-TND overflying Miami Beach, FL sometime in the late 1950’s.
Photo credit: postcard by Hannau Color Productions, 605 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL

  1961 to August 1966

  HR-TND - TAN (TRANSPORTES AEREOS NACIONALES) (HONDURAS)

1961

Reregistered.

  August 1966 to August 1968

  OB-R-829 - APSA (AEROLINEAS PERUANAS SA) (PERU)

4 August 1966

Registered.

Left: OB-R-829, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: Paul Zogg / Zoggavia.com

  August 1968 to unknown date

  HP-483 - INAIR PANAMA (PANAMA)

31 August 1968

Registered.

1973

Withdrawn from use and stored at Panama Tocumen International, Panama.

Unknown date

Broken up at Panama Tocumen International, Panama.

Right: HP-483 at Tocumen International on 18 November 1971.
Photo credit: Ger Buskermolen / Airliners.net