The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-77598

Aircraft Identification

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77598

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32994

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1530

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  December 1944 to January 1946

  44-77598 - USAAF (USA)


18 December 1944

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

13 January 1945

Assigned to the 8th Air Force.

Departed the USA for Europe.

Early 1945

Assigned to the 9th Air Force, 52nd Troop Carrier Wing, 313th Troop Carrier Group, 48th Troop Carrier Squadron based at Grevillers-Achiet (B-54), France.

Marked "Z7-S".

24 March 1945

Damaged over Germany during Operation Varsity.

Crew (all unhurt):
2nd Lt. Wayne J. Tahtinen, Pilot
2nd Lt. Leon W. Whitmore, Copilot
Sgt. Paul Rybaczyk, Radio Operator
T/Sgt. Lemuel S. Pattishall, Crew Chief

20 July 1945

Returned to the USA at Bradley Field, CT.

 

Right: a video of 44-77598 being loaded for Varsity on 24 March 1945 between times 0:33 and 0:36.
Photo credit: USAF / Youtube

  January 1946 to August 1948

  44-77598 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)


9 January 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

ca 1948

Taken out of storage and overhauled by TALOA under a US Government contract to prepare the aircraft for delivery to China.

  August 1948 to unknown date

  C-46277 - ROCAF (REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE) (CHINA)


10 August 1948

Departed Oakland, CA for delivery to Shanghai, China.

Fate unknown.

Last edited: 01/05/2024