The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 44-78043

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-78043

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 33439

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1975

FATE: Unknown

Operational Record

  March 1945 to September 1947

  44-78043 - USAAF (USA)


March 1945

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

Unknown date

Assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group, 71st Troop Carrier Squadron based at Greenville AAB, SC.

12 March 1946

Reveived minor damage at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR in a ground collision.

Pilot: Wynfield E. Lynn

  September 1947 to November 1965

  44-78043 - USAF (USA)


18 September 1947

Transferred.

Unknown date

Assigned to the Mobile Air Materiel Area based at Brookley AFB, AL.

24 October 1954

Received minor damage at Brookley AFB, AL in a takeoff accident due to an engine failure.

Pilot: Robert D. Barnette

Unknown date

Assigned to the West Virginia Air National Guard, 130th Air Resupply Squadron based at Kanawha County Airport, WV.

4 November 1957

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

  November 1965 to April 1967

  N62388 - MARATHON AVIATION CORPORATION (USA)


22 November 1965

Transferred.

5 October 1966

Departed Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

  April 1967 to August 1969

  N62388 - TRADEWINDS CARGO INC. (USA)


14 April 1967

Registered.

Overhauled by Intermountain Aviation at Marana, AZ.

20 August 1968

Registration cancelled, exported to Thailand.

  August 1969 to February 1970

  VT-DYX - MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (INDIA)


August 1969

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

  44-78043 - 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