Commando 44-77523

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77523

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32919

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1455

FATE: Unknown

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77523 - USAAF (USA)

December 1944

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

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-Q".

24 March 1945

Damaged over Germany during Operation Varsity.

Right: a video of 44-77523 taking off for Varsity on 24 March 1945 between times 1:47 and 1:58.
Photo credit: USAF / Youtube

  September 1947 to unknown date

  44-77523 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the 434^th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 72^th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Atterbury AFB, IN.

5 October 1951

Received major damage at Pope AFB, NC in a taxi accident.

Pilot: Roy E. Bechman (survived)

  Unknown date to January 1958

  44-77523 - CALIFORNIA EASTERN AVIATION INC. (USA)

Unknown date

Probably leased from the USAF by California Eastern Aviation.

  January 1958 to unknown date

  44-77523 - USAF (USA)

18 January 1958

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

2 February 1959

Sent to reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

Fate unknown. [quoted by AB as removed from surplus list]