The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 43-47419

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46E-1-CS Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47419

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 2945

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK467

FATE: Broken up

Operational Record

  August 1945 to November 1945

  43-47419 - USAAF (USA)


4 August 1945

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

Intended as lend-lease to China, but cancelled.

Remained within the continental USA.

  November 1945

  43-47419 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


14 November 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Ontario AAF, CA.

  November 1945 to 1948

  N30019 - PRIVATE (USA)


26 November 1945

Purchased by Seeley G. Mudd of Los Angeles, CA.

 

Right: N30019, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: Ed Coates / Aerofiles

  1948 to 1967

  N30019 - IBEX CORPORATION (USA)


1948

Leased from Seeley G. Mudd.

1956

Withdrawn from use at Los Angeles Hawthorne, CA.

Later returned to service.

4 September 1962

Damaged at Los Angeles Hawthorne, CA in a landing accident (no fatalities).

The brakes failed on landing, and the Commando hit three parked aircraft before coming to a stop.

  1967 to August 1968

  N30019 - PRIVATE (USA)


1967

Returned from lease with Ibex, still under the ownership of Seeley G. Mudd.

  August 1968 to September 1968

  N30019 - PRIVATE (USA)


27 August 1968

Purchased by A. J. Levin of Burbank, CA.

16 September 1968

Registration cancelled, exported to Mexico.

  September 1968 to unknown date

  XB-LIU - FEDECOOP (MEXICO)


September 1968

Purchased.

25 April 1969

Registered.

Probably used to transport fresh fish.

1975

Repainted with yellow engine cowlings.

August 1977

Stored at Ensenada, Baja California.

Unknown date

Broken up.

 

Right: XB-LIU being serviced at Ensenada, BC on 27 August 1974.
Photo credit: I. E. Quastler / Flickr

Below, left: XB-LIU in its new livery, Ensenada, June 1976.
Photo credit: Paul Hayes / Airliners.net

Below, right: the same now withdrawn from use, probably around 1978.
Photo credit: Rene Buschmann / AirHistory.net

Last edited: 10/12/2023