Commando 42-96820

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96820

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30482

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1018

FATE: Written off

  September 1944

  42-96820 - USAAF (USA)

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15 September 1944

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

  September 1944 to June 1956

  39565 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)

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15 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.

13 February 1945

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

Supported the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

April 1946

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-21.

September 1946

Assigned to VMR-252, based at MCAS Miramar, CA.

29 October 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

20 February 1947

Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.

June 1947

Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ.

  June 1956

  N10424 - MADDEN & PLAYFORD AIRCRAFT (USA)

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15 June 1956

Purchased.

  June 1956

  N9844F - AIR CORPORATION OF MIAMI (USA)

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27 June 1956

Purchased.

  June 1956 to July 1956

  TI-1011 - GENERAL AIR CARGO (COSTA RICA)

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27 June 1956

Purchased.

  July 1956 to August 1956

  TI-1011 - SOUTHERN CROSS AIRWAYS (USA)

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July 1956

Purchased. [only mentioned by PL – strange, unlikely?]

  August 1956 to July 1957

  TI-1011 - AIR CORPORATION OF MIAMI (USA)

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1 August 1956

Purchased.

  July 1957

  N9844F - PRIVATE (USA)

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26 July 1957

Purchased by Chester A. Abney.

  July 1957

  N9844F - MADDEN & PLAYFORD AIRCRAFT (USA)

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31 July 1957

Purchased.

  July 1957 to unknown date

  CC-CIA-0497 - LINEAS AEREAS INTERPOLAR (CHILE)

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31 July 1957

Purchased.

  Unknown date to May 1959

  CC-CIA-0497 - TRANSA CHILE (CHILE)

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Unknown date

Leased from Lineas Aereas Interpolar.

21 May 1959

Damaged beyond repair in Moro, Peru in a CFIT (8/8 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Miami, FL and Arica, Chile with 4 crew and 4 merchants to whom the cargo was belonging. It stopped for refueling in Panama and in Talara, Peru. After going missing, the aircraft was found crashed into Cerro Shano, a 10,000-foot mountain part of the Cordillera Negra in Peru.