Commando 44-77572

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77572

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32968

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1504

FATE: Written off

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77572 - USAAF (USA)

December 1944

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

  September 1947 to unknown date

  44-77572 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 434^th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 72^nd Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Atterbury AFB, IN.

17 October 1951

Received minor damage at Pope AFB, NC in a bird strike.

Pilot: Earl H. Rivers

  Unknown date to January 1958

  44-77572 - CALIFORNIA EASTERN AVIATION INC. (USA)

Unknown date

Probably leased from the USAF by California Eastern Aviation.

  January 1958 to 1964

  44-77572 - USAF (USA)

17 January 1958

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

2 February 1959

Sent to reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

Withdrawn from surplus list.

1964

Surplus.

  1964

  N9588Z - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)

1964

Purchased from USAF.

2 November 1964

Converted to CW-20T.

  1964 to 1970

  N9588Z - JOHN W. MECOM SR. (USA)

1964

Purchased.

Ferried to the Middle East.

Conducted oil exploration support flights in Saudia Arabia, Oman, Yemen and the Trucial States.

1970

Ferried back to the USA via Sharjah, as Mecom filed for bankruptcy and closed down his Middle East operations.

Right: N9588Z on one of its regular visits to Sharjah, unknown date.
Photo credit: atchistory

Below: another shot of N9588Z in Sharjah on 28 March 1966, note the different paint job.
Photo credit: John Phillips / AirHistory.net

  1970 to August 1973

  N9588Z - US OIL OF LOUISIANA INC. (USA)

1970

Transferred.

  August 1973 to April 1974

  N9588Z - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)

31 August 1973

Purchased.

4 April 1974

Registered.

10 April 1974

Registration cancelled, exported to Bolivia.

[this aircraft is noted as having been donated to the George T. Baker Aviation Technical College, but this is likely a mixup with Commando 42-3650]

  April 1974 to November 1983

  CP-1077 - AEROVIAS LAS MINAS (BOLIVIA)

5 April 1974

Purchased.

10 April 1978

Damaged at La China, Bolivia due to a left main gear failure.

Repaired.

10 November 1983

Damaged beyond repair near San Borja, Bolivia in a forced landing (0/3 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo fligh out of San Borja, Bolivia with three crew members on board. Shortly after airborne, an engine failed and the crew made a forced landing next to a road. All occupants escaped unharmed, but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.