Commando 43-46973

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-46973

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 44

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK21

FATE: Written off

  August 1944 to October 1945

  43-46973 - USAAF (USA)

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21 August 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.

Assigned to I Troop Carrier Command based at Baer Field, IN.

Remained within the continental USA.

  October 1945 to ca 1947

  43-46973 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

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31 October 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

  ca 1947 to November 1947

  N1609M - PRIVATE (USA)

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ca 1947

Purchased from RFC by Ben TERRY of Miami, FL.

18 December 1947

Certificate of Airworthiness issued. [date discrepancy]

14 December 1951

Registration cancelled.

  November 1947 to October 1948

  PP-XBS - PRIVATE (BRAZIL)

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1947

Purchased by businessman Vinicius Valadares VASCONCELOS of Lagoa Santa, Brazil with the intent of founding a new airline.

  October 1948 to October 1949

  FAB-2057 - FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA (BRAZIL)

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15 October 1948

Purchased at a reduced price as Vasconcelos was looking for cash after he ran into financial difficulties.

Assigned to the 2° Grupo de Transporte, carried passengers and cargo on domestic and international mail routes (Correio Aereo Nacional, CAN).

14 October 1949

Damaged beyond repair near Machacamarca, Bolivia in a forced landing (0/5 fatalities). [also quoted on 13 October 1949]

The Commando was conducting an international mail flight. The pilot performed a forced landing for unknown reasons and the aircraft came to rest amidst sand dunes. The crew of five was rescued while the airplane was written off.

Wreckage stored in nearby Oruro, Bolivia.