Commando 44-77530

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77530

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32926

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1462

FATE: Written off

  December 1944 to April 1945

  44-77530 - USAAF (USA)

5 December 1944

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

21 January 1945

Assigned to the 8^th Air Force.

February 1945

Assigned to the 9^th Air Force, 52^nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313^th Troop Carrier Group, 49^th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Grevillers-Achiet (B-54), France.

Marked "H2-D".

24 March 1945

Damaged beyond repair during Operation Varsity.

The Commando was used as a replacement aircraft for sistership 44-77556, which crashed on takeoff from Grevillers-Achiet, France at the beginning of Operation Varsity. It thus received the same Chalk number 13. The airplane was damaged by flak during the mission, and was subsequently crash landed at an unknown location.

1 April 1945

Condemned for salvage, non-battle damage.

Right & below: 44-77530 dropping underbelly parapacks, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: USAF / National Archives