Commando 43-47316
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47316
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 387
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK364
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
April 1945 to May 1945
43-47316 - USAAF (USA)
23 April 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Saint Louis, MO.
May 1945 to 1947
43-47316 - ROCAF (REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE) (CHINA)
6 May 1945
Departed the USA for China via Karachi, Sindh, India.
Transferred as part of Lend-Lease agreement.
1947 to December 1949
XT-120 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)
1947
Transferred to CNAC.
May 1949
Ferried to Hong Kong after the Nationalist defeat in mainland China, and impounded by British Authorities under threat from the Communist Chinese government.
13 November 1949
Registration certificate suspended by the Nationalist government.
December 1949
XT-120 - CLAIRE L. CHENNAULT & WHITING WILLAUER (USA)
12 December 1949
Purchased by Claire Chennault & Whiting Willauer, managers of CAT – while still grounded at Hong Kong Kai Tak. This was part of an attempt supported by the US State Department to regain ownership of several CNAC & CATC aircraft.
December 1949 to February 1953
N8367C - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)
19 December 1949
Transferred to CAT.
2 April 1950
Damaged at Hong Kong Kai Tak by a time bomb planted by Communist Chinese agents.
26 February 1953
Registration cancelled.
February 1953 to unknown date
N4894V - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)
February 1953
Reregistered.
24 August 1954
Weighing completed by Flying Tiger for CAT.
Unknown dates
N4894V - LUCE'S TERRA BRAND FOODS (USA)
Unknown date
Purchased.
Right: A poor shot nonetheless showing the "Terra Brand Airborne Division" markings on N4894V.
Photo credit: AviaDejaVu.ru / Air Pictorial 1957-08
Unknown date to Fall 1957
N4894V - WESTAIR TRANSPORT (USA)
Unknown date
Purchased.
Summer 1957
Operated from Blackbushe, UK.
Left: N4894V in Blackbushe, UK sometime between June and August 1957.
Photo credit: Blackbushe Airport Forum
Below: other shots of N4894V in England during the same period.
Photo credit: IMPDB.org / StinsonFlyer.com / Peter Amos (AB)
November 1957 to August 1962
XA-MER - LAUSA (LINEAS AEREAS UNIDAS SA) (MEXICO)
4 November 1957
Registered.
Probably leased from R. S. McNew.
15 August 1962
Registration cancelled.
August 1962 to September 1963
N4894V - PRIVATE (USA)
August 1962
Returned to R. S. McNew of Miami, FL.
18 September 1962
Registered.
3 September 1963
Registration cancelled, exported to Venezuela.
September 1963 to May 1968
YV-C-LBR - LEBCA (LINEA EXPRESA BOLIVAR CA) (VENEZUELA)
September 1963
Purchased.
15 October 1963
Registered.
Right: YV-C-LBR in Miami, FL, unknown date.
Photo credit: AirlinersGallery / Christian Volpati
1972 to 1975
YV-C-TGD - LATIN CARGA (VENEZUELA)
1972
Transferred as Tigres Voladores changed its name to Latin Carga.
1975 to unknown date
YV-143C - LATIN CARGA (VENEZUELA)
1975
Reregistered.
1977
Withdrawn from use and stored at Caracas Simon Bolivar International, Venezuela.
Left: YV-143C seen derelict in Caracas, Venezuela on 7 March 1989.
Photo credit: AV.CA / Larry Johnson
Last edited: 12/08/2023