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 - 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
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