Commando 44-77635

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77635

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33031

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1567

FATE: Preserved

  January 1945 to September 1947

  44-77635 - USAAF (USA)

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January 1945

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

  September 1947 to May 1971

  44-77635 - USAF (USA)

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18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the Air Training Command, 3499^th Mobile Training Wing based at Chanute AFB, IL.

Received arctic markings following deployment in Newfoundland, Canada.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 2578^th Air Force Reserve Training Center based at Ellington AFB, TX.

18 April 1958

Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

2 February 1959

Sent to reclamation.

 

Right: 44-77635 at Davis-Monthan AFB, 16 January 1971.
Photo credit: Brian Lockett / Air-and-Space.com

  May 1971 to present

  44-77635 - PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM (USA)

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May 1971

Transferred to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.

Displayed outside is existing bare metal colors.

Late 1970's

Repainted in its previous 1950's artic markings, still displayed outside.

Christened "Syracuse Shakrat" and marked "X606".

Mid-1990's

Displayed indoors, still in arctic markings.

November 2010

Fully restored for indoors static display, still bearing the same markings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below, left: 44-77635 finally at the Museum, October 1973.
Photo credit: R. A. Scholefield

Below, right: the same on 31 March 1974.
Photo credit: Brian Lockett / Air-and-Space.com

Bottom, left: still derelict at the Museum, 44-77635 in 1976.
Photo credit: Larry Johnson

Bottom, right: 44-77635 as a restored indoor exhibit, February 2018.
Photo credit: M. J. Scanlon