The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-47109

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47109

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 180

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK157

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  December 1944 to February 1945

  43-47109 - USAAF (USA)


27 December 1944

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

Assigned to Air Transport Command based in Miami, FL.

Remained withing the continental USA.

  February 1945 to November 1948

  43-47109 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


20 February 1945

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

  November 1948 to 1949

  N79078 - PRIVATE (USA)


30 November 1948

Registered to W. L. Stevens of New Orleans, LA.

30 January 1950

Registration cancelled, exported to Costa Rica.

  1949 to September 1959

  TI-1009LACSA (LINEAS AEREAS COSTARRICENSES SA) (COSTA RICA)


1949

Purchased in Los Angeles, CA.

3 December 1951

Damaged in Havana, Cuba in an accident.

Repaired.

 

Right: TI-1009 at San Jose Juan Santamaria, Costa Rica, unknown date.
Photo credit: Jaime Salazar Munoz / AviacionCR.net

  September 1959 to May 1960

  TI-1009CLACSA (LINEAS AEREAS COSTARRICENSES SA) (COSTA RICA)


September 1959

Reregistered.

21 November 1959

Received major damage at La Sabana, Costa Rica in a ground accident (0/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Limon and La Sabana with two pilots onboard. The right landing gear collapsed while the Commando was taxiing to the ramp after landing.

  May 1960 to January 1965

  HK-795 - LINEAS AEREAS TAXADER (COLOMBIA)


May 1960

Purchased.

Refurbished and equipped with a luxurious 50-seat cabin, marketed as "Super 46T". [neither an actual variant nor a "C-46T" as some sources mention]

 

Left: HK-795 sporting the "Super 46T" label on the nose and tail.
Photo credit: Jaime Escobar / El Tiempo

  January 1965 to unknown date

  HK-795 - SEGUROS AMERICA SA (NICARAGUA)


January 1965

Repossessed following the liquidation of Taxader.

Stored at Bucaramanga, Colombia.

1971

Registration cancelled.

Fate unknown.

Last edited: 29/03/2021