The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-77428

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77428

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32824

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1360

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  November 1944 to March 1946

  44-77428 - USAAF (USA)


16 November 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

Assigned to I Troop Carrier Command based at Baer Field, IN.

Unknown date

Assigned to 807th AAF Base Unit, Bergstrom AAF, TX with I Troop Carrier Command.

16 January 1945

Received major damage while parked at Bergstrom AAF, TX in a ground collision with Commando 44-77420.

  March 1946 to ca 1948

  44-77428 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


21 March 1946

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

ca 1948

Taken out of storage and overhauled by TALOA under a US Government contract to prepare the aircraft for delivery to China.

  ca 1948 to December 1959

  C-46??? -  ROCAF (REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE) (CHINA)


ca 1948

Delivered to China. [TBC]

Possibly used in the air bridge between mainland China and Taiwan in 1948-1949.

1949

Evacuated to Taiwan.

  December 1959 to unknown date

  91-1148 - JASDF (JAPAN AIR SELF-DEFENSE FORCE) (JAPAN)


23 December 1959

Purchased.

8 January 1974

Withdrawn from use.

Fate unknown.

 

First three shots: 91-1148 starts up, taxies and takes off from Hamamatsu AB, Japan on 1 November 1965.
Photo credit: apphg / Flyteam.jp
Bottom right: 91-1148 on 2 May 1972 in Hyakuri, Japan.
Photo credit: geta-o / Gonavy.jp

Last edited: 01/05/2024