The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-47375

Aircraft Identification

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47375

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 445

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK423

FATE: Broken up

Operational Record

  June 1945 to October 1945

  43-47375 - USAAF (USA)


15 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.

  October 1945 to 1949

  43-47375 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


27 October 1945

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

  1949 to 1950

  N92858 - AIRCAR (AIR CARRIER SERVICE CORPORATION) (USA)


1949

Purchased from RFC.

  1950 to June 1950

  N92858 - DASCOMP AIRCRAFT SALES (USA)


1950

Purchased.

11 April 1950

Registered.

28 August 1950

Registration cancelled.

  June 1950 to October 1950

  PP-XDR - VARIG (BRAZIL)


29 June 1950

Purchased and assigned a temporary import registration.

Ferried to Brazil.

  October 1950 to August 1972

  PP-VBS - VARIG (BRAZIL)


13 October 1950

Assigned a permanent registration.

8 March 1952

Damaged at Pelotas, Brazil in an undocumented accident.

Repaired.

23 April 1953

Damaged at Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont, Brazil in a landing overrun.

Repaired.

March 1962

Converted to Super 46C.

3 February 1969

Certificate of airworthiness expired.

Withdrawn from use at Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil.

3 August 1972

Registration cancelled, broken up.

 

Right: passengers boarding PP-VBS.
Photo credit: postcard / Varig-Airlines.com

Below, left: boarding in progress on PP-VBS, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: unknown

Below, right: the end is coming for PP-VBS, being stripped at Sao Paulo Congonhas, Brazil in April 1971.
Photo credit: Petr Popelar / Airliners.net

Last edited: 01/09/2023