The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-47401

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47401

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 471

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK449

FATE: Broken up

Operational Record

  July 1945

  43-47401 - USAAF (USA)


6 July 1945

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

  July 1945 to July 1956

  50728 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)


6 July 1945

Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.

9 July 1945

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), Marine Fleet Air, West Coast based at NAS San Diego, CA.

13 July 1945

Assigned to HDN, MAG-35 based at MCAS El Centro, CA.

Assigned to VMR-352 based at MCAS Ewa, HI.

June 1946

Assigned to Air Fleet Marine Force based in Guam, Mariana Islands.

August 1946

Assigned to Air Pac based at MCAS Ewa, HI.

30 October 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

June 1947

Assigned to VMR-252 based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

  July 1956

  N7769B - PRIVATE (USA)


10 July 1956

Purchased by Eric M. Larson.

  July 1956 to October 1957

  N7769B - AAXICO (USA)


10 July 1956

Purchased by Howard J. Korth, President of AAXICO.

17 September 1956

Registered.

  October 1957 to July 1960

  N7769B - COLONIAL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


11 October 1957

Purchased.

  July 1960 to late 1961

  N7769B - CAPITOL AIR (USA)


July 1960

Leased from Colonial Aircraft Corporation.

  Late 1961 to July 1962

  N7769B - COLONIAL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


Late 1961

Returned from lease to Capitol Air.

  July 1962

  N7769B - AAXICO (USA)


1 July 1962

Purchased.

  July 1962 to June 1963

  N7769B - COLONIAL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


July 1962

Leased from AAXICO.

  June 1963 to July 1964

  N7769B - AAXICO (USA)


June 1963

Returned from lease to Colonial Aircraft Corporation.

  July 1964 to September 1966

  N7769B - ZANTOP AIR TRANSPORT (USA)


20 July 1964

Leased from AAXICO.

20 September 1966

Purchased from AAXICO.

  September 1966 to March 1968

  N7769B - UNIVERSAL AIRLINES (USA)


21 September 1966

Transferred as Zantop Air Transport became Universal Airlines.

15 November 1966

Damaged in either Los Alamitos, CA or Salem, OR in a landing accident.

The left main gear collapsed on landing.

  March 1968 to January 1969

  N7769B - AVIATION ASSOCIATES OF GEORGIA (USA)


15 March 1968

Purchased.

  January 1969 to September 1970

  N7769B - SHAMROCK AIRLINES (USA)


17 January 1969

Purchased by Douglas & Lomason Company, operating as Shamrock Airlines.

 

Right: N7769B in Shamrock colors, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: Bruce Drum / AirlinersGallery

  September 1970 to June 1975

  N7769B - FRANCIS "GUS" A. CONNER (USA)


4 September 1970

Purchased.

 

Left: With Shamrock's titles hastily painted over, N7769B seen at Fort Lauderdale, FL in June 1973.
Photo credit: Michael Berhnard / Airliners.net

  June 1975 to July 1975

  N355M - MIAMI INTER AIR INC. (USA)


10 June 1975

Lease-purchased.

27 June 1975

Reregistered.

  July 1975 to mid-1979

  N355M - BAHAMASAIR (USA)


17 July 1975

Leased from Inter-Air Inc., painted in Bahamasair colors.

 

Right: N355M with a fresh Bahamasair paintjob, Miami, FL in May 1976.
Photo credit: Bob Garrard / AirHistory.net

Below, left: N355M in final at Miami, FL in August 1976.
Photo credit: Jochen Beeck / Airliners.net

Below, right: N355M parked in Miami, FL on 18 December 1976.
Photo credit: Daniel Tanner / Airliners.net

Bottom, left: Another shot of N355M in Miami, FL on 2 February 1978.
Photo credit: EricG / Airliners.net

Bottom, right: N355M ready to start loading on 21 June 1978 in Miami, FL.
Photo credit: Mick Bajcar / Airliners.net

  Mid-1979 to March 1983

  N355M - MIAMI INTER AIR INC. (USA)


1979

Returned from lease to Bahamasair.

 

Below, left: N355M stripped of all title in October 1979 in Miami, FL.
Photo credit: Geoff Goodall / AV.CA

Below, right: N355M seemingly stored with the left prop missing in Miami, FL in April 1981.
Photo credit: Larry Johnson / AV.CA

Bottom, left: The same a few month later with the prop back, Miami, FL on 31 May 1981.
Photo credit: Gerard Helmer / Airliners.net

Bottom, right: Another black & white shot of N355M, 27 May 1982 in Miami, FL.
Photo credit: Mick Bajcar / Airliners.net

  March 1983 to unknown date

  N355M - AIRCRAFT MODIFICATIONS INC. (USA)


March 1983

Purchased.

Stored in Miami, FL.

Unknown date

Landed in Huichapan, Hidalgo, Mexico with a load of contraband and abandoned there.

Later found there by the Mexican Army and broken up.

 

Left: Probably one of N355M's last shot before it Mexican adventure, landing in Miami, FL on 18 November 1983.
Photo credit: Yrjo Makela / Airliners.net

Last edited: 24/11/2023