Commando 44-77853
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77853
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33249
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1785
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
February 1945 to September 1947
44-77853 - USAAF (USA)
February 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 349th Troop Carrier Group, 314th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Bergstrom AAF, TX.
12 March 1946
Crew member Bartholomew F. McCarthy injured onboard during a mission 24 km northeast of San Angelo, TX.
September 1947 to November 1965
44-77853 - USAF (USA)
18 September 1947
Transferred.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 2472nd Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Tinker AFB, OK.
30 March 1958
Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
November 1965 to May 1967
N57369 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)
22 November 1965
Transferred.
18 April 1966
Departed Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for Miami, FL. [AIIMF?]
May 1967 to December 1967
N57369 - TRADEWINDS CARGO INC. (USA)
8 May 1967
Registered.
Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.
29 June 1967
Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.
December 1967 to February 1970
VT-DWS - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)
7 December 1967
Registered.
Operated by the Aviation Research Center (ARC) of India with the technical support of the CIA as part of operation Oak Tree.
Based at Charbatia AB, Odisha, India, flying clandestine missions over Chinese-occupied Tibet.
February 1970 to April 1973
44-77853 - USAF (USA)
28 February 1970
Returned to the USAF.
Assigned to the 56th Special Operations Wing based at Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand.
1 April 1973
Struck off charge.
Fate unknown, probably never left India.
Last edited: 16/01/2024