The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-47371

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47371

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 441

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK419

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  June 1945 to January 1946

  43-47371 - USAAF (USA)


13 June 1945

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

Assigned to the 1st Operational Training Unit (1 OTU) based at Rosecrans Field, MO.

Remained within the Continental USA.

  January 1946 to 1947

  43-47371 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


28 January 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

  1947

  N95451 - UNITED SERVICES FOR AIR INC. (USA)


1947

Purchased from RFC.

30 June 1947

Converted to C-46F.

  1947 to unknown date

  N95451 - WESTAIR TRANSPORT (USA)


1947

Purchased by the Aviation Corporation of Seattle to be operated by Westair Transport.

7 April 1948

Damaged in Yakutat, AK after hitting a snowbank during taxi.

Repaired.

 

Right: N95451 with Westair in 1954.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins / Flickr

  Unknown dates

  N95451 - ARNOLD AIR SERVICE (USA)


Unknown date

Purchased or leased.

  Unknown dates

  N95451 - SOURDOUGH AIR TRANSPORT (USA)


Unknown date

Purchased or leased.

 

Left: N95451 in Sourdough colors in Oakland, CA in the 1950's.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins / AviaDejaVu.ru

  Unknown dates

  N95451 - TEXAS WESTERN (USA)


Unknown date

Purchased or leased.

  Unknown dates

  N95451 - SOUTH EAST AIRLINES (USA)


Unknown date

Purchased or leased.

  July 1955 to August 1959

  CF-IHX - DONALD GHAN AIR SERVICE (CANADA)


July 1955

Purchased by C. D. Ghan to be operated by Donald Ghan Air Service.

  August 1959 to November 1959

  N8016E - DUPONT AIR INTERESTS INC. (USA)


5 August 1959

Registered.

28 August 1959

Registration cancelled, exported to Venezuela.

  November 1959 to November 1962

  YV-C-LBH - LEBCA (LINEA EXPRESA BOLIVAR CA) (VENEZUELA)


12 November 1959

Purchased.

2 May 1962

Certificate of airworthiness issued.

2 November 1962

Damaged beyond repair in Carora, Venezuela in a landing accident.

The Commando was operating a cargo flight to Carora, Venezuela with a load of 12 live pedigree bulls an two pilots onboard. Final destination was Miami, FL. During the landing roll, the brakes failed and the aircraft ground-looped. The crew managed to escape before fire erupted. The bulls died in the fire and the Commando was destroyed.

 

Below, left: YV-C-LBH now wearing the LEBCA livery, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: Brian Stainer / NA3T

Below, right: article describing the final accident of YV-C-LBH.
Photo credit: La Nacion / 3 November 1962

Last edited: 28/08/2023