Marathon Aviation Corporation

  1963* to 1968*

  United States of America

TYPE: Unknown

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Miami, FL

OTHER NAMES: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

Marathon Aviation Corporation was a CIA front company probably founded in 1963. It served as an empty shell that owned aircraft the CIA planned to use on Operation Oak Tree, a project to help Indians conduct clandestine missions in Chinese-occupied Tibet. Retired USAF Commandos stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ were transferred the 1045^th Operational Evaluation and Training Group, effectively the CIA's air arm. They were then handed over to Marathon and assigned a US civilian registration. The airplanes were overhauled at Marana, AZ by Intermountain Aviation. SAT (Southern Air Transport) was then in charge of ferrying these aircraft to Asia.

The last aircraft ferry to India apparently occurred in 1968, and it is likely that Marathon was closed shortly thereafter.

March 1963 to May 1967

21 Commandos transited through Marathon, between their discharge from the USAF and their assignment to the Ministry of External Affairs of India in support of Operation Oak Tree.

• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: N10703, N10704, N10710, N51657, N52331, N53921, N54773, N56317, N57396, N59346, N60576
• Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando: N10701, N10705, N10706, N10707, N10708, N62388, N63335
• Curtiss TC-46D-15-CU Commando: N10709
• Curtiss C-46D-20-CU Commando: N10702, N64859