Commando 43-47403

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47403

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 2929

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK451

FATE: Broken up

  July 1945

  43-47403 - USAAF (USA)

6 July 1945

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

  July 1945 to June 1946

  43-47403 - CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION (USA)

6 July 1945

Transferred.

Assigned to the Curtiss-Wright Buffalo, NY aircraft plant.

6 November 1945

Assigned to the Curtiss-Wright Caldwell, NJ propeller plant.

Below: 43-47403 freshly out of the factory in July 1945, probably quite an attraction with its new nose! Either in Saint Louis, MO or Buffalo, NY.
Photo credit: World War Photos

  June 1946 to July 1946

  43-47403 - WAR ASSETS ADMINISTRATION (USA)

30 June 1946

Transferred, still based at Caldwell, NJ.

  July 1946 to December 1959

  N39636 - CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION (USA)

14 July 1946

Transferred.

18 July 1946

Registered.

Modified to obtain FAA type certificate A-786 (or ATC-786) for the civilian version of the C-46E.

Later used as a corporate transport aircraft with VIP seats, cabin dividers, a toilet and a sink.

7 January 1960

Registration cancelled, exported to Argentina.

  December 1959 to February 1960

  LV-PQC (I) - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)

18 December 1959

Purchased and assigned a temporary registration (pasavante).

  February 1960 to August 1961

  LV-GJS - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)

11 February 1960

Reregistered.

Refurbished and converted to cargo configuration, with the executive interior auctioned out.

Christened "Cormoran".

October 1960

Based in Mendoza, Argentina.

Used alongside LV-FSA on operation "Tuco", carrying meat to Chile and onions on the way back two to three times a day.

Pilots: I. Fernandez, E. Ford and others.

Right: LV-GJS with Austral at Buenos Aires Ezeiza, Argentina, 24 July 1960.
Photo credit: Marcelo Miranda / Linea ALA

  August 1961 to 1964

  LV-GJS - TRANSCARGA TRANSPORTES SA (ARGENTINA)

8 August 1961

Leased from Austral.

11 December 1963

Purchased from Austral.

25 January 1964

Received minor damage in an accident at Estancia Buchanan, Argentina.

  1964 to November 1967

  LV-GJS - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)

1964

Repossessed by Austral.

It is understood that despite the repossession order, Transcarga did not actually surrender the aircraft. Austral filed a lawsuit against Transcarga, with the case falling under Federal Judge Dr. Sartorio.

8 March 1965

Transcarga went bankrupt, with the aircraft probably still effectively in their hands now stored at Buenos Aires Aeroparque, Argentina.

May 1967

Court order putting the aircraft for public auction.

Left: LV-GJS sitting propless is what is probably Transcarga's neutral paintscheme, most likely at Buenos Aires Aeroparque, Argentina in the mid-1960's.
Photo credit: B. Batista via Nemesio Rey / Linea ALA

  November 1967 to 1968

  LV-GJS - PRIVATE (ARGENTINA)

30 November 1967

Purchased by Osvaldo Escola.

1968

Broken up.