Commando 43-47026
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47026
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 97
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK74
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
October 1944
43-47026 - USAAF (USA)
29 October 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.
October 1944 to February 1960
39599 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)
29 October 1944
Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA. [date discrepancy]
Sent to the Lockheed Modification Center at Dallas Love Field, TX.
14 November 1944
Delivered from the Lockheed Modification Center at Dallas Love Field, TX.
25 November 1944
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), Marine Fleet Air, West Coast.
27 November 1944
Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.
April 1945
Assigned to VMR-253 based on Guam, Marianna Islands.
March 1946
Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).
June 1946
Assigned to VMR-153.
31 July 1947
Struck off charge as surplus.
July 1960 to mid-1960's
XW-PAL - VEHA AKAT (LAOS)
July 1960
Leased from China Airlines, but actually operated by ROCAF's Black Bat Squadron.
Flown in cargo configuration and Veha Akat livery by Taiwanese crews.
Used in military anti-communist support missions over Burma and Laos, flying supplies to YAVA (Yunnan Anticommunist Volunteer Army) and Taiwanese troops deployed in the region.
Mid-1960's to April 1972
B-1507 - CHINA AIRLINES (TAIWAN)
Mid-1960's
Returned from lease to Veha Akat.
April 1972 to September 1972
CA-2 (III) - AIR AMERICA (USA)
April 1972
Operated by China Airlines under subcontract with Air America (Contract no.70-34), wore a white and aluminium scheme.
11-18 September 1972
Transported rice between Saigon, South Vietnam and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Late September 1972
Withdrawn from use due to lesser capacity needs.
September 1972 to unknown date
B-1507 - CHINA AIRLINES (TAIWAN)
Late September 1972
Returned from lease contract with Air America.
Fate unknown.
Last edited: 22/10/2022