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Commando 43-47213

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47213

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 284

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK261

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  February 1945 to April 1945

  43-47213 - USAAF (USA)

28 February 1945

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

8 March 1945

Departed the USA for Karachi, Sindh, India.

Assigned to ATC India-China Division, 1337th AAF Base Unit, Sookerating, Assam, India.

5 April 1945

Went missing over India (4/4 missing). [MACR 13697]

Crew:
F/O Lester L. Lackey, Pilot
F/O Hobson E. Hudson, Copilot
Pvt Stanley B. Robinson, Radio Operator
Pvt Millard F. White, Assistant Radio Operator

The Commando departed Kunming, Yunnan, China on a return flight to Sookerating, Assam, India after having completed a cargo mission. Its radio operator tried to contact Sookerating ATC, but although heard by Sookerating, no contact from Sookerating got through. The aircraft was 3.5 hours out of Kunming at 12,000ft on a heading of 300° and was lost. No other call was received, and the aircraft failed to arrive.

Condemned for salvage, missing.

22 November 1945

Wreckage located by a British search team 10 km west of Menikrai, Sadiya Pradesh, India. [unidentified location, possibly Sadiya, Assam, India] All four crew member bodies were recovered.