Commando 44-77619

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77619

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33015

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1551

FATE: Written off

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77619 - USAAF (USA)

December 1944

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

  September 1947 to January 1961

  44-77619 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Converted to TC-46D.

Unknown date

Converted back to C-46D.

Assigned to the Warner Robins Air Materiel Area based at Robins AFB, GA.

17 May 1955

Received minor damage at Robins AFB, GA in a taxi accident.

The Commando was parked at Robins AFB, GA when it was hit by Boeing KB-29P Super Fortress 44-83952 taxied nearby by Thomas H. Patton. Both aircraft sustained minor damage.

Unknown date

Assigned to the West Virginia Air National Guard, 130^th Air Resupply Squadron based at Kanawha County Airport, WV.

13 December 1957

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

29 January 1958

Sent to reclamation.

1959

On surplus list, withdrawn.

Right: 44-77619's technical data block while with the 130^th Air Resupply Squadron, mid-1950's.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins

  January 1961 to October 1961

  N9557Z - VANGUARD EXPORT CORPORATION (USA)

10 January 1961

Purchased from USAF.

  October 1961 to March 1965

  PP-BTP - PARAENSE TRANSPORTES AEREOS (BRAZIL)

20 October 1961

Purchased.

13 August 1962

Received major damage 2 km from Rio Branco, Brazil in a takeoff accident (0/4 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a commercial cargo flight from Rio Branco, Brazil with 4.7 tons of cargo, one passenger and three crew members on board. After takeoff, the aircraft lost height and hit a power line. The radio operator sustained injuries and the Commando received substantial damage. [there is no indication whether the airplane crashed after hitting the power line]

Repaired.

25 September 1962

Registered. [the aircraft probably had a pasavante registration prior to this]

24 March 1965

Damaged beyond repair at Rio Branco, Brazil in a landing accident (no fatalities).

The Commando was operating a commercial flight to Rio Branco, Brazil. The aircraft landed hard and veered off the runway.