Commando 43-47189

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47189

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 260

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK237

FATE: Written off

  February 1945 to November 1945

  43-47189 - USAAF (USA)

14 February 1945

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 1947

  43-47189 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

1 November 1945

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

  1947 to February 1948

  N4738N - SLICK AIRWAYS (USA)

1947

Purchased from RFC.

  February 1948 to August 1948

  XB-HUI - PRIVATE (MEXICO)

11 February 1948

Purchased by Howard E. RANDALL.

  August 1948 to July 1953

  PP-AGE - AERO GERAL LTDA. (BRAZIL)

7 August 1948

Purchased.

5 December 1949

Registered.

Right: PP-AGE flying for the 1950 Brazilian census, unknown location.
Photo credit: Lucio / Pinterest

  July 1953 to December 1960

  PP-VCT - VARIG (BRAZIL)

July 1953

Transferred as part of the purchase of Aero Geral by VARIG.

Unknown date

Converted to Super 46C.

18 December 1960

Damaged beyond repair at Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil in a runway overrun (0/3 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight to Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil with 3 crewmembers onboard. Upon touchdown on runway 15, the aircraft failed to decelerate, overran the runway, lost its main undercarriage and came to rest. All occupants escaped safely but the airplane was written off. It appears that the approach procedure was not correctly followed, possibly leading to a long landing or high touchdown speed, and that the crew failed to use all braking systems available due to poor coordination.

Left: a very poor shot of PP-VCT, yet with Super 46C spinners distinguishable. Unknown date & location.
Photo credit: unknown