The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-46975

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-46975

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 46

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK23

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  August 1944 to June 1946

  43-46975 - USAAF (USA)


23 August 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.43 46975 1

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

Remained within the continental USA.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 237th AAF Base Unit, Kirtland Field, NM.

Probably served the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Very Heavy in a support role.

8 November 1945

Received major damage at Kirtland Field, NM in a forced landing following an engine failure.

Pilot: Irwin O. "Jack" Steiner (survived, went on to fly in the Korean War and retired a USAF Lt. Col., pictured right)

  June 1946 to unknown date

  43-46975 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


24 June 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Albuquerque, NM.

Fate unknown.

[it is possible that this Commando never flew again after its November 1945 accident at Albuquerque, NM and that only its wreckage was transferred to RFC]