Commando 42-107364

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

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-107364

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 27051

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU691

FATE: Written off

  May 1944 to 1952

  42-107364 - USAAF (USA)

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26 May 1944

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

12 June 1944

Assigned to ATC North African Wing.

Unknown date

Assigned to Cairo Payne Field, Egypt.

23 July 1946

Condemned for salvage, probably by the Army-Navy Liquidation Commission.

  1953 to February 1954

  PP-VCJ (II) - VARIG (BRAZIL)

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1953

Purchased.

Ferried from Cairo Payne Field, Egypt to Venice, Italy for overhaul at Officine Aeronavali.

Eventually not taken up by VARIG.

[some sources mention direct ownership of this aircraft by Officine Aeronavali]

  February 1954 to May 1959

  PP-LDS - LOIDE AEREO NACIONAL (BRAZIL)

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11 February 1954

Registered.

18 February 1954

Purchased.

14 July 1954

Damaged at an unknown location in an accident.

19 February 1959

Damaged at an unknown location in an undercarriage collapse on landing [short?].

  May 1959 to July 1969

  PT-BEE - PARAENSE TRANSPORTES AEREOS (BRAZIL)

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4 May 1959

Purchased by Petrus Mereb. [registration quoted as PP-BEE by BAAA & JB]

25 June 1959

Leased to Paraense Transportes Aereos.

15 June 1959

Damaged beyond repair near Babaculandia, Brazil in a crash following an in-flight fire (2/3 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a cargo flight between Pedro Afonso and Belem, Brazil. Enroute, the right engine nacelle caught fire. The crew shut down the engine and tried to extinguish the fire without success. The pilot attempted an emergency landing, but the airplane crashed into flames. Two crew members were killed while the third occupant was injured. The accident was attributed to a fuel line that broke in flight, causing fuel to leak and catch fire when it came in contact with high temperature elements of the engine.