Commando 44-77470
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77470
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32866
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1402
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
November 1944 to May 1947
44-77470 - USAAF (USA)
28 November 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Assigned to the 8th Air Force.
15 January 1945
Departed the USA for Europe.
Assigned to the 9th Air Force, 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313th Troop Carrier Group, 29th Troop Carrier Squadron based at RAF Folkingham, England.
24 March 1945
Damaged during Operation Varsity over Wesel, Germany.
20 July 1945
Returned from Europe to Bradley Field, CT.
27 March 1947
Salvage recommended at Bergstrom AAF, TX.
April 1948 to July 1950
N51738 - UNITED SERVICES FOR AIR INC. (USA)
5 April 1948
Purchased.
29 April 1948
Registered.
July 1950 to August 1950
N51738 - AIRCAR (AIR CARRIER SERVICE CORPORATION) (USA)
17 July 1950
Purchased.
August 1950 to September 1951
AP-ADU - CRESCENT AIR TRANSPORT (PAK AIRWAYS) (PAKISTAN)
August 1950
Purchased by Crescent Air Transport, operating as Pak Airways.
2 August 1950
Registered.
2 September 1951
Ferried from Pakistan to Miami, FL via Amsterday, Netherlands.
4 September 1952
Registration cancelled.
September 1951 to October 1951
N51738 - NEW YORK CAR WHEEL COMPANY (USA)
10 September 1951
Purchased.
13 September 1951
Registered.
November 1951 to January 1952
N51738 - MIAMI AIRCRAFT & ENGINE SALES (USA)
1 November 1951
Purchased.
January 1952 to February 1952
N51738 - PENINSULAR AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
21 January 1952
Lease-purchased.
February 1952 to January 1955
N51738 - AERO MAINTENANCE INC. (USA)
2 February 1952
Operated for Peninsular Air Transport in the latter's colors.
18 August 1954
Owership transferred to Aero Maintenance.
Right: N51738 in Peninsular colors, Oakland, CA, May 1953.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins / Wikimedia Commmons
January 1955 to March 1955
N51738 - PENINSULAR AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
9 January 1955
Returned from Aero Maintenance.
March 1955 to July 1955
N51738 - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)
23 March 1955
Purchased.
4 April 1955
Registered.
4 August 1955
Registration cancelled, exported to Canada.
July 1955 to September 1956
CF-IHR - WORLD WIDE AIRWAYS (CANADA)
13 July 1955
Lease-purchased by Montreal Air Services Ltd., to be operated by World Wide Airways.
15 August 1955
Delivered to Montreal, QC.
Operated in DEW (Defense Early Warning) Line support operations.
23 September 1956
Damaged beyond repair at DEW Line Site 28, Mackar Inlet, NWT in a landing accident (no fatalities).
The Commando was operating a DEW Line support flight and overrand the runway on landing. There were no injuries but the airplane's gear collapsed and it was damaged beyond repair. The accident location is also noted as 68°30'41" N, 83°12'19" W, which would be closer to DEW Line Site 29, Sarcpa Lake, NWT. The wreckage remained relatively intact in the 1960's, its current fate is unknown.
Left: CF-IHR's wreck on 3 May 1957.
Photo credit: L. S. Wilson / DEWLineAdventure
Below: the same in July 1961 with valuable parts now visibly salvaged: engines, props, radar and more.
Photo credit: Paul Kelley / ASN
Last edited: 22/01/2024