The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

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 194543 47228 1

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.