Commando 43-47344

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47344

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 415

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK392

FATE: Unknown

  May 1945

  43-47344 - USAAF (USA)

19 May 1945

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Saint Louis, MO.

  May 1945 to January 1947

  43-47344 - ROCAF (REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE) (CHINA)

28 May 1945

Departed the USA for China via Karachi, Sindh, India.

Transferred as part of Lend-Lease agreement.

  January 1947 to circa 1948

  XT-153 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)

January 1947

Transferred to CNAC.

27 February 1948

Still present in CNAC fleet list under this registration.

  Circa 1948 to December 1949

  XT-148 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)

Circa 1948

Reregistered.

Mid-1949

Ferried to Hong Kong after the Nationalist defeat in mainland China.

13 November 1949

Registration certificate suspended by the Nationalist government.

16 November 1949

Impounded by British Authorities under threat from the Communist Chinese government.

  December 1949

  XT-148 - 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 unknown date

  N8377C - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)

19 December 1949

Transferred to CAT.

January 1953

Probably transported on board aircraft carrier CVE-92 Windham Bay from Hong Kong to the USA.

26 February 1953

Registration cancelled.

  Unknown date to March 1955

  N90619 - UNKNOWN OPERATOR (USA)

Early 1953

Purchased by an unknown entity.

  March 1955 to May 1955

  XH-050 - PRIVATE (HONDURAS)

09 March 1955

Purchased by Mario Valenzuela, a Honduran architectural engineer intent on starting a cargo airline that failed after two months.

  May 1955 to October 1955

  XH-SAI - SAHSA (SERVICIOS AEREOS DE HONDURAS SA) (HONDURAS)

25 May 1955

Either purchased, or leased from Mario Valenzuela.

20 October 1955

Withdrawn from use.

[a gap exists here, along with doubts whether XH-SAI was 43-47321 / 392 / CK369 or 43-47344 / 415 / CK392 - we have come to the conclusion it is the latter]

  February 1956 to September 1975

  YV-C-AMR - LAV (LINEA AEROPOSTAL VENEZOLANA) (VENEZUELA)

13 February 1956

Purchased and operated as a cargo aircraft.

1971

Withdrawn from use in Caracas, Venezuela.

Below, left: YV-C-AMR in LAV's early livery, seen in Miami, FL in July 1959.
Photo credit: Mel Lawrence / Airliners.net

Below, right: Newer paint scheme for YV-C-AMR now in San Antonio, TX on 25 March 2969.
Photo credit: John Mounce / DHC-2.com

Bottom, left: YV-C-AMR in Aeropostal's striking 1970's livery, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: Christian Volpati / AirlinersGallery

Bottom, right: The same in another unknown place.
Photo credit: Pat Whelan / Flickr

  September 1975 to 1978

  YV-16C - LAV (LINEA AEROPOSTAL VENEZOLANA) (VENEZUELA)

September 1975

Reregistered, and possibly returned to service.

1976

Withdrawn from use.

  1978

  YV-305C - TRAVENCARGA (TRANSPORTES VENEZOLANAS DE CARGA) (VENEZUELA)

1978

Purchased.

  1978 to unknown date

  YV-305C - COMERAVIA LINEA AEREA (VENEZUELA)

1978

Purchased.

Unknown date

Received major damage at Caracas Simon Bolivar International, Venezuela in an undocumented accident.

By October 1980

Withdrawn from use and stored at Caracas Simon Bolivar International, Venezuela.

Right: YV-305C pushed in the grass in Caracas, Venezuela after its accident, seen on 9 October 1980.
Photo credit: Peter Davis / Air Britain