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 to October 1957
N7769B - AAXICO (USA)
10 July 1956
Purchased by Howard J. Korth, President of AAXICO.
17 September 1956
Registered.
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.
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.
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