The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-107332

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-107332

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 27019

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU659

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  May 1944 to March 1945

  42-107332 - USAAF (USA)


10 May 1944

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

7 July 1944

Assigned to 20th Air Force, XX Bomber Command, 2nd Air Transport Squadron (Mobile), based at RAF Kalaikunda, Bengal, India.

31 October 1944

Moved with the 2nd Air Transport Squadron to Dergaon, Assam, India.

November 1944

Moved with the 2nd Air Transport Squadron to Luliang, Yunnan, China.

21 February 1945

Damaged beyond repair in Hsian, China [Xian, Shaanxi, China?] in a landing accident (no fatalities).

Pilot: Henry D. Metzger (pictured, survived)

After touching down at night, the Commando was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran the runway and came to rest in an anti-tank ditch. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

8 March 1945

Condemned for salvage.