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RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation)

Operator Identification

  January 1932 to 1957

  United States of America

TYPE: Government body

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Washington, DC

FORMER NAME: Nil

FATE: Disbanded and transferred to the Department of the Treasury

RFC

Operator History

The RFC was a government corporation originally created during the Great Depression. Its purpose was to provide financial support to governments institutions and to make loans to banks in order to keep the country running despite the disastrous economic situation.

After World War II, the RFC was put in charge of disposing of all war material domestically. As such, it established five large storage, sales and scrapping centers throughout the country in order to dispose of USAAF aircraft. These centers located at: Albuquerque AAF, NM, Altus AAF, OK, Kingman AAF, AZ, Ontario AAF, CA and Walnut Ridge AAF, AR. A sixth facility for storing, selling and scrapping Navy and Marine aircraft was located at Clinton, OK.

 

Commando Operations

May 1945 to 1953*

Most USAAF Commandos present in the Continental USA at the end of World War II ended up transferred to the RFC. The largest storage sites for Commandos were Bush Field, GA, Walnut Ridge AAF, AR and Ontario AAF, CA. Airworthy Commandos, like most non-combat RFC aircraft, were put for sale at attractive prices which allowed many small airlines to be created at the time using that equipment. As such, several non-scheduled operators ("non-skeds") purchased Commandos from the RFC.

Due to the large amount of material to be disposed of, the RFC offered discounted prices to schools and colleges on the purchase of aircraft for educational purpose, provided these would not be sold back to a third party. Again, some Commandos ended up in the hands of educational institutions across the country.

Finally, many Commandos which were in poor condition or did not find a buyer ended up stripped of parts and scrapped at RFC facilities.

Commandos Operated

Stored in Buffalo, NY:

  • Curtiss C-46-CU Commando: 41-5159

Stored at Bush Field, GA:

Stored at Kirtland Field, NM:

Stored at McClellan Field, CA:

  • Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando: 41-5188

Stored at Ontario AAF, CA:

Stored at Patterson Field, OH:

  • Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77517

Stored at San Bernardino AAF, CA:

Stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR:

Stored at an unknown location:

  • Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando: 41-12280
  • Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando: 41-12382, 41-12383 (both probably at McClellan Field, CA)
  • Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando: 41-12392 (probably at McClellan Field, CA), 41-1242
  • Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 42-107394 (probable)
  • Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando: 44-78015 (TBC)

Last edited: 01/05/2024