Commando 44-77996
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77996
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33392
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1928
FATE: Unknown
Operational Record
March 1945 to September 1947
44-77996 - USAAF (USA)
March 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
September 1947 to September 1963
44-77996 - USAF (USA)
18 September 1947
Transferred.
Unknown date
Assigned to the 313th Troop Carrier Group, Medium, 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium based at Mitchel AFB, NY.
25 March 1953
Received minor damage at Mitchel AFB, NY in a taxi accident.
Pilot: Edwin J. Temmel
The Commando apparently ran out of fuel while taxiing, and hit parked sistership 44-77838 [typo "44-778383"] of the same squadron. Both airplanes were damaged.
Unknown date
Assigned to 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center, based at Long Beach AFB, CA.
26 July 1958
Assigned to the Arizona Aircraft Storage Squadron and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
25 September 1963
Departed Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for Miami, FL.
26 September 1963
Assigned to the 1045th Operational Evaluation and Training Group, effectively the CIA's air arm.
Supplied to foreign country under the Military Assistance Program.
September 1963 to April 1965
N10706 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)
3 July 1963
Registered.
September 1963
Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.
Unknown date
Test-flown by Capt. Connie Seigrist out of Marana, AZ.
3 July 1964
Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.
April 1965 to February 1970
VT-DSA - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)
5 April 1965
Registered.
Operated by the Aviation Research Center (ARC) of India with the technical support of the CIA as part of operation Oak Tree.
Based at Charbatia AB, Odisha, India, flying clandestine missions over Chinese-occupied Tibet.
February 1970 to April 1973
44-77996 - USAF (USA)
28 February 1970
Returned to the USAF.
Assigned to the 56th Special Operations Wing based at Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand.
1 April 1973
Struck off charge.
Fate unknown, probably never left India.
Last edited: 16/01/2024