Commando 43-47350
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47350
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 421
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK398
FATE: Preserved
Operational Record
May 1945 to June 1945
43-47350 - USAAF (USA)
23 May 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Saint Louis, MO.
June 1945 to 1947
43-47350 - ROCAF (REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE) (CHINA)
10 June 1945
Departed the USA for China via Karachi, Sindh, India.
Transferred as part of Lend-Lease agreement.
1947 to December 1949
XT-116 - CNAC (CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION) (CHINA)
1947
Transferred to CNAC.
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-116 - 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 July 1955
N8364C - CAT (CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT) (TAIWAN)
19 December 1949
Transferred to CAT.
January 1953
Transferred to CAT SA, Panama.
[This aircraft is erroneously noted as reregistered as N8361C, but this was CAT's Douglas C-53D s/n 4927 during that same period]
1962 to September 1966
N611Z - ZANTOP AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
1962
Transferred as Zantop Flying Service became Zantop Air Transport.
21 February 1964
Received major damage at Lowry AFB, CO in a landing accident. (no fatalities)
The main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at 1853Z. This was caused by a malfunction in the right engine hydraulic pressure line.
Repaired and returned to service.
25 November 1964
Received major damage at Cincinnati Covington, KY in a landing accident. (no fatalities)
The right main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at 2312Z. The factors included excessive wear and play, a gear bushing not manufactured to material specs and no gear warning due to dirt and oil on the switch.
Repaired and returned to service.
September 1966 to March 1968
N611Z - UNIVERSAL AIRLINES (USA)
21 September 1966
Transferred as Zantop Air Transport became Universal Airlines.
Right: N611Z still wearing Zantop titles taxiing out at Cleveland, OH in March 1967.
Photo credit: Chuck Slusarczyk Jr. & Bob Garrard / Opshots.net
October 1973 to October 1976
N611Z - WILCOX ENTERPRISES INC. (USA)
October 1973
Purchased by Robert N. Wilcox, presumably the owner of Wilcox Enterprises Inc..
23 October 1973
Received major damage in Lakeland, FL in a landing accident. (no fatalities)
The Commando was operating a flight from Bainbridge, FL to Lakeland, FL. An engine failed while circling in the traffic pattern. The aircraft landed wheels up. The factors included overload, the engine failure and the improper observance of emergency procedures.
Repaired and returned to service.
17 November 1975
Transferred to Wilcox Enterprises Inc..
5 April 1976
Transferred back to Robert N. Wilcox.
October 1976 to October 1985
N611Z - AMERICAN FLYERS (USA)
1 October 1976
Lease-purchased.
Left, then below left to right and top to bottom, N611Z with American Flyers:
- In Fort Lauderdale, FL on 4 October 1977.
- In Miami, FL on 20 June 1978.
- In Fort Lauderdale, FL on 16 July 1979.
- Seemingly patched up in Fort Lauderdale, FL on 31 May 1981.
- Still in Fort Lauderdale, FL on 5 September 1982.
- In Fort Lauderdale, FL on 20 October 1982.
- In Fort Lauderdale, FL on 7 December 1982.
- This time in Opa Locka, FL in October 1983.
- In Fort Lauderdale, FL on 2 October 1984.
Photo credits, in the same order:
- Geoff Goodall
- Mick Bajcar
- Paul Thallon
- Gerard Helmer
- Pete Fothergill
- John Meneely
- Ken Fielding
- Michael Zoeller
- Mike Powney
October 1985 to mid-1988
N611Z - FLORIDA AIRCRAFT LEASING CORPORATION (USA)
October 1985
Purchased.
March 1986
Withdrawn from use.
Below, left: N611Z still in the same colors but with a new owner, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 27 May 1987.
Photo credit: Danny Grew / AirHistory.net
Below, right: N611Z again in Fort Lauderdale, FL on 5 June 1988.
Photo credit: Alex Rankin / Flickr
Mid-1988 to present
39611 - NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NAVAL AVIATION (USA)
Mid-1988
Purchased.
June 1988
Repainted in the colors of US Marine Corps Commando 43-47047 / Bu.No. 39611.
Displayed outside at NAS Pensacola, FL.
Right: 43-47350 now freshly painted as Bu.No.39611 on display at NAS Pensacola, FL on 29 June 1988.
Photo credit: Larry Johnson / AV.CA
Below: the same more recently on 24 March 2019, showing her age but still with all her grace.
Photo credit: Igor113 / Livejournal.com
Last edited: 20/08/2023