The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-77540

Aircraft Identification

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77540

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32936

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1472

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  December 1944 to February 1946

  44-77540 - USAAF (USA)


8 December 1944

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

Assigned to the 8th Air Force.

9 January 1945

Departed the USA for Europe.

Early 1945

Probably assigned to the 9th Air Force, 52nd Troop Carrier Wing.

26 July 1945

Returned to the USA at Bradley Field, CT.

  February 1946 to March 1948

  44-77540 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


7 February 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Bush Field, GA.

  March 1948 to January 1959

  44-77540 - USAF (USA)


9 March 1948

Returned to USAF service.

5 May 1948

Assigned to Langley AFB, VA.

21 February 1949

Converted to EC-46D (exempt category).

6 April 1949

Reclamation authorized.

24 February 1949

Reclamation completed. [dates discrepancy]

The following ten years of this airframe's life are unknown.

  January 1959 to September 1959

  N8008E - AAXICO (USA)


21 January 1959

Purchased from the USAF.

28 May 1959

Registered.

  September 1959 to September 1960

  N8008E - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)


14 September 1959

Purchased.

  September 1960 to March 1961

  N8008E - CROWN AIRWAYS (USA)


26 September 1960

Purchased.

  March 1961 to August 1961

  N9003E - CROWN AIRWAYS (USA)


22 March 1961

Reregistered.

  August 1961 to November 1961

  N2424J - WINDSOR AIRLINES (USA)


29 August 1961

Transferred as Crown was renamed Windsor.

Reregistered.

  November 1961 to June 1962

  N6376F - FLEET TRADERS INC. (USA)


10 November 1961

Purchased.

15 November 1961

Registered.

  June 1962 to September 1962

  N6376F - INTEROCEAN COMMERCE (USA)


19 June 1962

Purchased.

  September 1962 to October 1962

  N6376F - C-46 PARTS INC. (USA)


27 September 1962

Purchased.

10 October 1962

Certificate of registration issued.

21 November 1962

Registration cancelled, exported to Chile.

  October 1962 to 1980

  CC-CAM - ALFA (AEROLINEAS FLECHA AUSTRAL) (CHILE)


23 October 1962

Purchased.

 

Below, left: CC-CAM in Miami, FL in January 1968.
Photo credit: Rainer Haufschild / dhc-2.com

Below, right: the same in Miami, FL again on 17 April 1972.
Photo credit: R. A. Scholefield / Airliners.net

Bottom, left: CC-CAM at Rio de Janeiro Galeao International, Brazil on 15 November 1973.
Photo credit: Vito Cedrini / Airliners.net

Bottom, right: CC-CAM at Panama City Tocumen, Panama in August 1974.
Photo credit: Werner Fischdick / ASN

  1980 to October 1985

  CP-1593 - SABENI (SERVICIO AEREO BENI) (BOLIVIA)


1980

Purchased.

Used as a meat carrier between the Department of Beni and La Paz El Alto, Bolivia.

11 October 1985

Damaged beyond repair in an accident in the Cordillera (2/2 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a commercial flight between Beni and La Paz, Bolivia with a cargo of meat and two pilots on board. The aircraft crashed in the mountains for an undetermined reason. The wreckage was located on 15 October with both pilots dead.

[A large amount of uncertainty remains as to the history of this aircraft, with its civilian history needing confirmation.]

 

Right: CP-1593 of SABENI at La Paz El Alto, Bolivia, unknow date.
Photo credit: EX/ZX / Flickr

Last edited: 30/01/2024