Commando 44-77508

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77508

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32904

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1440

FATE: Written off

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77508 - USAAF (USA)

December 1944

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

Unknown date

Departed the USA for Europe.

Assigned to the 9^th Air Force, 52^nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313^th Troop Carrier Group, 29^th Troop Carrier Squadron based at RAF Folkingham, England.

24 March 1945

Damaged during Operation Varsity over Wesel, Germany.

  September 1947 to February 1952

  44-77508 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 2234^th Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Memphis AFB, TN.

13 November 1950

Receive minor damage at Hanscom AFB, MA in a taxi accident.

Pilot: John J. Babraitis

Unknown date

Assigned to the 514^th Troop Carrier Wing, 336^th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Mitchel AFB, NY.

10 February 1952

Damaged beyond repair at Wheeler-Sack AFB, NY in a takeoff accident.

Pilot: Capt. William Castle (killed)

The Commando was operating a paradrop formation flight out of Wheeler-Sack AFB, NY with 4 crew members and 32 paratroopers on board. It took off ninth in a formation of 17. Shortly after airborne, it made a 90° turn and crashed into a row of parked aircraft. The Commando was destroyed and all crew members were killed, while the paratroopers were injured. During the accident, parked Fairchild C-82A Packets 44-23017 & 45-57795 and Ryan L-17B Navion 48-1064 received major damage.

[Commando erroneously quoted by AB as being transferred to the Korean Air Force]