The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-46976

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-46976

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 47

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK24

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  August 1944 to November 1945

  43-46976 - USAAF (USA)


24 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.

  November 1945 to 1946

  43-46976 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


6 November 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR. [erroneously dated on 11 June 1945 by JB and 8 November 1945 by PL]

  1946

  N79041 - PRIVATE (USA)


1946

Purchased from RFC by W. L. Stevens of New Orleans, LA.

31 October 1952

Registration cancelled.

  1946 to 1951

  CB-49 - CBF (CORPORACION BOLIVIANA DE FOMENTO) (BOLIVIA)


1946

Purchased. [quoted by AB as purchased by Huidoto Suarez, possibly a CBF administrator]

  1951 to September 1955

  CP-549 - CBF (CORPORACION BOLIVIANA DE FOMENTO) (BOLIVIA)


1951

Reregistered.

20 September 1955

Damaged beyond repair near La Paz El Alto, Bolivia in a takeoff accident (0/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight from La Paz. Just after liftoff, the aircraft stalled, and it crashed near the airport, between Viacha and Lapa. Both pilots were injured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.