Commando 44-77559

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

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77559

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32955

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1491

FATE: Stored

  December 1944 to September 1947

  44-77559 - USAAF (USA)

December 1944

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

Unknown date

Assigned to 813^th AAF Base Unit, Sedalia AAF, MO, Squadron C with I Troop Carrier Command.

8 February 1945

Damaged at Sedalia AAF, MO in a taxi accident.

Pilot: Edward Wurfer [probably a mechanic taxiing the aircraft]

While taxiing at Sedalia AAF, MO, the Commando collided with sisership 44-77708 of Squadron D that was parked nearby.

  September 1947 to October 1978

  44-77559 - USAF (USA)

18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to 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 for reclamation at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

August 1978

Advertised for sale by the US Department of Defense.

Right: 44-77559 still rotting at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ on 14 October 1978.
Photo credit: Philip Dawe / AV.CA

  October 1978 to early 1980's

  44-77559 - DESERT AIR PARTS INC. (USA)

25 October 1978

Purchased.

Stored in Tucson, AZ on the perimeter of MASDC.

Left: 44-77559 at the Desert Air Parts compound on 12 October 1980.
Photo credit: Lewis Grant / AirHistory.net

  Early 1980's to Summer 2001

  44-77559 - BOB'S AIRPARK (USA)

Early 1980's

Purchased.

Stored in Tucson, AZ.

Right: 44-77559 stored at Bob's Airpark on 19 December 1984.
Photo credit: Brian Lockett / Air-and-Space.com

Below, left: 44-77559 still derelict at Bob's Airpark on 10 October 1987.
Photo credit: Fergal Goodman / AirHistory.net

Below, right: same plane, same condition, same place almost 10 years later! 18 April 1996.
Photo credit: Peter Davis / AB

  Summer 2001 to present

  44-77559 - PLANES OF FAME MUSEUM (USA)

Summer 2001

Purchased and trucked to Chino, CA.

Stored outside.

Below: having never been closer to restoration, 44-77559 in the Planes of Fame storage yard, 23 May 2013.
Photo credit: Terry Fletcher / AV.CA