Commando 44-77563
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77563
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32959
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1495
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
December 1944 to September 1947
44-77563 - USAAF (USA)
December 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Early 1945
Assigned to the 9th Air Force, 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313th Troop Carrier Group, 48th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Grevillers-Achiet (B-54), France.
Marked "Z7".
24 March 1945
Damaged during Operation Varsity over Wesel, Germany.
September 1947 to October 1973
44-77563 - USAF (USA)
18 September 1947
Transferred.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 514th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 335th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Mitchel AFB, NY.
5 October 1952
Received minor damage at Chanute AFB, IL in a taxi accident while parked.
While parked at Chanute AFB, IL, the Commando was hit by sistership 44-77552 taxied nearby by William H. Burgess.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 2577th Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Brooks AFB, TX.
3 May 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Withdrawn from surplus list.
October 1973 to January 1974
N91371 (II) - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)
October 1973
Purchased from USAF.
[only N91371 (I) actually appears on the FAA registry]
January 1974 to April 1975
CP-1063 (I) - SAVCO (BOLIVIA)
January 1974
Purchased.
23 April 1975
Damaged beyond repair near Cochabamba, Bolivia in an approach accident (4/4 fatalities). [date also noted as 24 April 1975]
The Commando was operating a cargo flight into Cochabamba, Bolivia with three crew members and one passenger on board. During the approach, it seems to have descended too early in IMC and struck the Cerro Sayari at an altitude of 14,200ft. The aircraft was destroyed and all occupants were killed.
Last edited: 06/03/2024