Commando 43-47197

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47197

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 268

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK245

FATE: Written off

  February 1945 to July 1947

  43-47197 - USAAF (USA)

17 February 1945

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

7 March 1945

Departed the USA for the Panama Canal Zone.

Assigned to the 20^th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone.

  July 1947 to late 1947

  43-47197 - FLC (FOREIGN LIQUIDATION COMMISSION) (USA)

10 July 1947

Transferred to FLC and probably stored in Panama.

  Late 1947 to unknown date

  RX-112 - PRIVATE (PANAMA)

Late 1947

Purchased from FLC by Harold A. Speer.

  Unknown date to May 1948

  N1545V - THE BABB CO. (USA)

Unknown date

Purchased.

  May 1948 to March 1952

  OB-OAE-234 - ANDES (AEROVIAS NACIONALES DEL SUR) (PERU)

8 May 1948

Leased from the Babb Company.

14 May 1948

Registered.

  March 1952 to unknown date

  N1545V - THE BABB CO. (USA)

March 1952

Returned after ANDES went bankrupt.

  Unknown date to September 1953

  N3959C - INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTING CO. (USA)

Unknown date

Purchased.

  September 1953 to late 1953

  N3959C - AIRLINE MAINTENANCE CORP. (USA)

9 September 1953

Purchased.

  Late 1953 to 1957

  N3959C - AAXICO (USA)

September 1953

Purchased by Howard J. Korth, owner of AAXICO.

  1957 to unknown date

  CU-T554 - AEROVIAS Q (CUBA)

1957

Purchased.

Right: this texture gives a good idea of CU-T554's looks when it joined Aerovias Q.
Photo credit: flyawaysimulation

  Unknown date to early 1959

  CU-C554 - AEROVIAS Q (CUBA)

Unknown date

Reregistered.

  Early 1959 to July 1959

  CU-T583 - AEROVIAS Q (CUBA)

Early 1959

Reregistered.

Above: CU-T583 boarding passengers, unknown date & location.
Right: a scale model of the same.
Photo credit: yesterdayairlines.com

  July 1959 to 1960

  TI-1024C - ANSA (AEROLINEAS NACIONALES SA) (COSTA RICA)

Late 1959

Purchased by Manuel E. Guerra, owner of ANSA, and flown to Costa Rica.

The purchase was made in Cuban Pesos, paid by the Cuban government to compensate for the loss of TI-1019C, which had been lost while delivering arms to the Cuban rebels in March 1958. However, due to post-revolutionary tensions between Cuba and Costa Rica, the Castro's never issued an export airworthiness certificate, thus rendering the purchase illegal. The airplane was nonetheless registered in Costa Rica and flow commercially there.

  1960 to October 1971

  TI-1024C - LACSA (LINEAS AEREAS COSTARRICENSES) (COSTA RICA)

1960

Transferred as ANSA was sold to LACSA.

8 November 1960

Received major damage in a landing accident at Palma Sur, Costa Rica (0/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a positioning flight to Palma Sur with only two pilots onboard. After touchdown, the crew noticed a private Piper registered TI-281 entering the runway. To avoid any collision, the crew veered off runway to the right when the airplane collided with trees and came to rest. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was noted as damaged beyond repair by all sources.

Possibly repaired and returned to service.

29 October 1971

Damaged beyond repair in a landing accident in Golfito, Costa Rica (no fatalities).

The Commando was operating a flight into Golfito. After touchdown, the crew veered off the runway due to a mechanical failure and hit a mail truck that was driving by.

[it is uncertain whether the Golfito aircraft is actually TI-1024C, as it was already deemed damaged beyond repair in Palma Sur in 1960 - anyone with further information on these two accidents, please write to us]

Above: a flight simulator texture for TI-1024C.
Photo credit: unknown

Right: an article about the 1971 Golfito accident, mentioning "TI-1024" as the aircraft involved.
Photo credit: La Nacion, 6 November 1971