Commando 43-47228
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47228
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 299
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK276
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
March 1945 to November 1945
43-47228 - USAAF (USA)
12 March 194
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.
17 March 1945
Departed the USA for Karachi, Sindh, India.
Assigned to the 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 11th Combat Cargo Squadron based in Dinjan, Assam, India.
14 May 1945
Moved to Yunnanyi, Yunnan, China still with the 11th Combat Cargo Squadron.
20 June 1945
Moved to Luliang, Yunnan, China still with the 11th Combat Cargo Squadron.
29 September 1945
Unit redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Group, 332nd Troop Carrier Squadron.
12 October 1945
Moved to Shanghai, China still with the 332nd Troop Carrier Squadron.
Used to transport Chinese troops back to the east of China.
30 October 1945
Damaged beyond repair in a takeoff accident near Huaihua Zhijiang, Hunan, China (45/50 fatalities).
Crew:
1st Lt. Stanley Tosh, Pilot (killed, pictured)
Cpl. Wayne N. Alquist (killed)
... and 2 others, only one of whom survived
The Commando was prepared for a flight from Huaihua Zhijiang, Hunan to Shanghai, China with 4 US crewmembers and 46 Chinese troops and ammunition onboard. After all passengers were loaded, during the engine runup, the copilot noted that the no.2 engine magneto checks were not satisfactory. However, the pilot however decided it was acceptable and also did not expect any problems since he knew the terrain very well. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked right, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. 45 occupants, among them three crew members, were killed, while five others were seriously injured. Weather was good at the time of the accident. It appears the aircraft did not gain sufficient height after rotation as its total weight was well above the admissible MTOW.
15 November 1945
Condemned for salvage, crash.