The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Unknown Private Individuals

Some Commandos operators are labelled as private, and the name of the private owner or operator mentioned below. However, apart from their name, nothing is known about them. Any information on these private individuals is welcome, as it could cast an interesting shadow on the whereabout of the Commandos they owned:

Name Location Commandos owned From To Notes
Roque R. ABLAN Jr. Philippines N1463C November 1973 1977 A prominent Filipino politician, member of the House of Representatives.
Chester A. ABNEY USA N9844F July 1957 July 1957 Purchased from Southern Cross and sold to Madden & Playford
Juan ADORISIO SANCHEZ Uruguay CX-AYI 1961 January 1962 Also spelled NASCHEZ. Purchased from AAXICO and crashed.
Pedro Maio ARAUJO Brazil PP-ITI August 1963 December 1963 Wreck purchased from TAS, sale cancelled
Jose A. BAEZ USA N9902F July 1979 November 1979 Sold to Bruno A. RAFAEL
Barbara BARNES USA N355BY February 1977 February 1977 Purchased from Lease Company General and sold to Bush Aviation
Lizardo BARRANCOS Bolivia CP-855 1970 1972 Owner of Empresa Industria Ganadera and/or Frigorifico Santa Ana?
A. J. BLACKMAN Los Angeles, CA N2074A Early 1964 1966 Sold to Intersouth Inc.
Donald BURNETT USA N74689 ca 1960 1973 Leased in Alaska to Wien and others
Napoleon CALLE Bolivia CP-855 1972 June 1972 Owner of Frigorifico Santa Rita?
Amin CANAAN Dominican Republic HI-189 1978 August 1979 Purchased from Aeromar and destroyed by hurricane.
Ed CANTRELL Hammond, NY N9890Z July 1971 December 1971 Purchased from Carolina and repossessed by a bank
Jorge CARNICERO Washington, DC N9515C November 1958 December 1958 Probably involved in TSA (Transcontinental SA) of Argentina
Jose Maria CARRERA SAAVEDRA Buenos Aires, Argentina LV-JMC January 1960 December 1965 Owner & founder of ACTA (Aerolineas Carreras Transportes Aereos)
Leon CLEAVER Norwalk, OH (42-96654) March 1978 2012 Owned the cockpit section, later sold to Project Warbird Museum
M. R. COLE USA N7764B November 1956 January 1957 Co-owned with L. J. LEDERER
Daniel T. COOLEY Singapore N335CA, N336CA September 1977 November 1978 Probably the owner of Kris Air
Wayne CRAFT Jackson, MS N54510 October 1977 May 1982 From JASDF, sold to Fred Patterson III and loaned to the Castle Air Museum of Atwater, CA
N54511 Unknown date From JASDF, abandoned in Guam during ferry out of Japan
N54512 June 1978 From JASDF, then leased to OASIS in the Philippines
N54513 Unknown date
H. CRAWFORD USA N79917 August 1950 June 1951 Co-purchased with W. G. Spillman, from Wien Alaska & sold to Don Cardiff
Jose Rolando DA SILVA BARBOSA Brazil PP-VCE October 1978 October 1978 Purchased from ASL Arruda & donated to Museu Eduardo Matarazzo
Arthur V. DAVIS USA N75338 May 1955 November 1955 A wealthy investor who took a majority stake in Riddle in March 1955
N75335 November 1955 November 1955
N75336 November 1955 November 1955
Harold DAVIS USA N4198A September 1958 At least 1965 Purchased from Arkia, sale attempt to Mexico
Remo DE PAOLI Belo Horizonte, Brazil PP-ITI July 1959 June 1960 Local architect, gold and diamond digger in Minas Gerais. Airline owner too?
PP-ITH July 1959 July 1959 Purchased from TAN & sold to TAS
PP-ITE July 1959 July 1959 Purchased from TAN & sold to TAS
Douglas S. DULY Burbank, CA N4163A October 1961 August 1962 Purchased from L. B. Smith, sold to Aerovias Bolivianas Transandinas
Martin E. ELLSWORTH Vermilion, OH N10426 January 1975 August 1975 Purchased from Ortner Air Service and sold to Active Air Inc..
N609SE January 1975 June 1975 Purchased from Ortner Air Service and sold to CASAIR.
Osvaldo ESCOLA Argentina LV-GJS November 1967 1968 Purchased from Austral, probably for scrap, and broken up.
L. M. FARRAR USA N5160V January 1958 1960 Purchased from Davis-Monthan & sold to Carolina Aircraft Corp.
A. H. FRANCO Panama HP-352 Unknown date Unknown date Purchased from Luis E. LOPEZ, fate unknown
Jose Francisco Iwao FUJIWARA Brazil PT-AYA October 1966 July 1968 Co-owned with Washington HATANAKA
Mario P. "Milo" GAFFI Fairbanks, AK N74689 December 1964 August 1965 A Wien Alaska Airlines Captain, leased from Donald BURNETT, subleased to M & F Corp.
Pedro A. GARCIA Miami, FL N9890Z April 1979 Unknown date  
Ricardo Roberto GRILLO Argentina LV-FTR December 1972 February 1979 Attempted to start an airline in Uruguay with this Commando
Fernando GUILARTE Bolivia CB-45 1950 1954 Owner of Aerolineas CAMBA or Frigorifico Cooperativo Los Andes?
Jack B. HARDWICK USA N68737 1950 1950 Purchased from RFC & sold to Riddle
Washington HATANAKA Brazil PT-AYA April 1966 July 1968 Co-owned with Victor MANIERO & Jose FUJIWARA
O. R. HAYES Coral Gables, FL (44-77814) April 1950 April 1950 Purchased from Transporte Aereo Transandino and sold to AAXICO
Irving Leslie JONES Jr USA N75338 May 1955 May 1955 Closely related to SALA Aircraft Sales
N75335 April 1955 November 1955
N75336 April 1955 November 1955
Robert E. JONES Maquoketa, IA [?] N157K July 1969 July 1969 dba Jones Motor Trading
Burton KATLIN Jersey City, NJ N9841F 1964 December 1966 Purchased from Seven Seas Airlines & sold to Aircraft Modifications Inc.
Robert C. KELLAM East Chatham, NY N74689 April 1976 August 1977 Purchased and leased to CASAIR
Marshall M. LANDY (1908-2009) Miami, FL N2074A November 1963 Early 1964

Leased from Wings Inc. and sub-leased to Atlanta Airways. Hank Warton associate.

N10427 May 1971 1972 Purchased from Seaboard and sold to Aircraft Modifications Inc.. Hank Warton associate.
Eric M. LARSON USA

N7768B, N7769B

July 1956 July 1956 Purchased from the US Navy and immediately sold to Howard J. Korth of AAXICO.
Neil F. LAWRENCE USA N79979 1948 1949 Purchased from RFC & sold to Aerovias Contreras
Murray L. LAZARUS USA (43-47174) June 1961 August 1961 Purchased from Harris & Co. Advertising and sold to Madden & Playford
L. J. LEDERER USA N7764B November 1956 January 1957 Co-owned with M. R. COLE
A. J. LEVIN USA N30019 August 1968 September 1968 Purchased from S. G. Mudd and sold to FEDECOOP of Mexico
Nilton LOPES OLEARO [CLEARO?] Brazil PT-BVG March 1963 April 1964 Purchased from Sadia, used for contraband & crashed doing so
Luis E. LOPEZ Panama HP-352 1974 Unknown date Purchased from Aerovias Internacional Balboa and sold to A. H. FRANCO
Victor MANIERO Brazil PT-AYA April 1966 June 1966 Co-owned with Washington HATANAKA
Kathryn R. MARTIN Miami, FL N74689 1948 ca 1960 Purchased from the WAA and leased to Peninsular Air Transport
N74690      
N74691      
Jose MARTINEZ Brazil PP-BLE July 1971 May 1973 Purchased from VASP, leased to Aerocom Ltda and sold to Adair Ruiz
Richie MARTINEZ Dominican Republic HI-145 / HI-171 March 1967 ca 1973 Probably the owner of Aeromar
R. S. MCNEW Miami, FL N4894V Fall 1957 September 1963 Leased out to LAUMSA of Mexico
Rolando MEDINA MARMOLEJO Villavicencio, Colombia HK-851-P May 2000 July 2000 Owned a single Commando operated privately, which he soon crashed.
Petrus MEREB Brazil or Portugal PT-BEE May 1959 July 1969 Purchased from Loide and leased to Paraense Transportes Aereos
Douglas MINER Seattle, WA NX1016N Unknown Unknown Purchased from RFC and sold to Golden North Airways
Manuel MONSO Argentina LV-FTR August 1968 August 1968 Probably linked to AER (Aerotransportes Entre Rios)
Jorge MONTELL USA (44-77814) January 1948 March 1948  
Max E. MOORE Singapore

N335CA, N336CA

, N337CA

November 1978 January 1981 Purchased from Kris Air and broken up at Seletar AB, Singapore
Seeley G. MUDD Los Angeles, CA N30017 November 1945 December 1950 Purchased from RFC and sold to Maritime Central Airways
N30019 August 1968 Purchased from RFC, leased to Ibex and sold to A. J. Levin
Ewelt K. NOLD Jr USA N9906F July 1977 October 1977 Purchased from Clarks Aerial Service and sold to Carolina
Almir OLIVEIRA Brazil PP-ITE 1981 March 1989 Possibly linked to Royal Taxi Aereo
U. E. PARODI USA N7865B May 1958 January 1959 Co-owned with R. W. Duff, owner of Miami Airlines
Fred PATTERSON III San Leandro, CA N54510 May 1982 Present Loaned to the Castle Air Museum of Atwater, CA
William F. PEEL Chevy Chase, DC N609SE August 1979 September 1997 Purchased from CASAIR and operated in the Caribbean until abandonned
Antonio sa PEIXOTO DO PASSO Brazil PT-AYA April 1965 April 1966 Co-owned with Ernani PINHEIRO FERREIRA
H. R. PEREZ Miami, FL N3979C January 1951 April 1955 Purchased from A. RICHARD & Stanley LOWE, sold to Tigres Voladores
E. H. PICKERING USA N79974 1949 1949 Co-owned with Fred STONES. Purchased from RFC, sold to John SCURA
L. A. PIEDRA Mexico (42-96585) Unknown date January 1948 Purchased from RFC, then crashed
Isidoro PINHEIRO Brazil PP-BTZ July 1970 1976  
Ernani PINHEIRO FERREIRA Brazil PT-AYA April 1965 April 1966 Co-owned with Antonio sa PEIXOTO DO PASSO
Flodoaldo PINTO Brazil PT-AYA May 1965 June 1965  
Ricardo QUIROCA [or QUIROGA] Bolivia CP-1244 1976 1977 Purchased from VIBAS and sold to TABSA
Bruno A. RAFAEL USA N9902F November 1979 November 1979 Purchased from Jose A. BAEZ and sold to NASCO
Howard E. RANDALL Mexico XB-HUI February 1948 August 1948 Purchased from Slick Airways and sold to Aero Geral
Maria Teresa REINA DE BIAGIOLA Paraguay ZP-CAP March 1966 October 1966 Purchased from LAPSA & sold to Germa Inc., all within Paraguay
Ralph W. RENSINK Lewiston, ID N4158A May 1961 August 1962 Purchased from US Navy and sold to Aerovias Balboa. Sometimes spelled Remsink
S. A. RICHARDS Burlington, VT N1239V May 1948 October 1949 Purchased from RFC and exported to Venezuela (probably RANSA)
N1240V May 1948 September 1950 Purchased from RFC and sold to RANSA
Jacques RITTER et al. Miami, FL N5528A Unknown date ca 1985 Wreck purchased from les Avions Bleus and broken up much later
Roberto H. ROBAINA [or RUBAINA] Brazil PT-LBP June 1981 1988 Purchased from Forca Aerea Brasileira and sold to Royal Taxi Aereo
Leopoldo RODRIGUES DOS SANTOS Brazil PP-BTZ July 1968 November 1969 Linked to Vicas Comercio e Industria & Companhia Meridional de Mineracao
Adair RUIZ Brazil PP-BLE May 1973 June 1973 Leased to Agropecuaria do Jurua
John S. RUSSELL Jr USA N2714A May 1953 August 1953 Purchased from El Al, could have been Al Schwimmer's too
Louis A. SABATINO USA N7866B December 1957 February 1958 Purchased from Carlos A. MANZINI and exported to the Dominican Republic
Victor SALAS Unknown CC-CDC Late 1975 1984 Puchased from LASA, stored in Opa Locka, FL, sold to Servicios Aereos R. D.
CC-CCB September 1975 April 1977 Purchased from LASA, stored in Miami, FL, sold to Aero Bolivia
Richard A. SAYRE Miami, FL N157K October 1976 March 1978  
John SCURA New York, NY N79974 1949 Unknown date Purchased from E. H. Pickering & Fred N. Stones, fate unknown
Edward R. SMITH USA N4761C December 1949 March 1950 Purchased from (or leased?) and returned to Great Circle Aviation
Anastasio SOMOZA DEBAYLE Nicaragua AN-FAX March 1949 June 1951 Son of Nicaragua's President, project unknown, aircraft repossessed by NATS
Harold A. SPEER Unknown RX-110 Late 1947 Unknown date Purchased from FLC, probably in Panama, sold to the Babb Co.
RX-111
RX-112
N1657M Unknown date June 1950 Purchased from RFC, refurbished by the Babb Co. and possibly leased or sold to them
William C. STEVENS New Orleans, LA N79027 May 1948 1950 Purchased from RFC, sold to CBF
N79041 1946 1946 Purchased from RFC, sold to CBF
N79078 November 1948 1949 Purchased from RFC, sold to LACSA
N79086 / XA-JUG Early 1948 May 1948 Purchased from Cooperativa de la Industria Pesquera, sold to L. B. Smith
Richard H. STEVES USA N91367 November 1966 April 1967 Purchased from C-46 Parts and sold to AFISA
Fred N. STONES USA N79974 1949 1949 Co-owned with Fred STONES. Purchased from RFC, sold to John SCURA
Charles L. TAYLOR USA (44-77814) March 1948 March 1948  
Ben TERRY Miami, FL N3940C August 1951 October 1951 Purchased from SAIDE and sold to AIRCAR. Maybe operated by Transaire
N1609M ca 1947 November 1947 Purchased from RFC and sold to Vinicius Valadares VASCONCELOS in Brazil
N3930C Late 1940's Early 1950's Purchased or leased from L. B. Smith and sold or passed on to NATS
Ben & Claire Adele TERRY USA N76096 June 1951 March 1952 Probably husband & wife. Purchased from NATS and sold to Resort Airlines
Sidney THAL OK, USA N5509A July 1958 July 1959 Purchased from Air International and sold to LASA in Chile
A. G. THOMPSON Jr. USA N3967C January 1954 September 1959 Purchased from F. A. Conner and sold to L. B. Smith
Raymond TLUSZOZ (or TLUSZCZ) Kinshasa, Congo 9Q-CZG June 1967 July 1967 Purchased indirectly from Fairline & sold to Cogeair
Enrique TOMASSINI Argentina LV-FTR August 1968 July 1970 Probably linked to AER (Aerotransportes Entre Rios)
Mario VALENZUELA Honduras XH-050 March 1955 May 1955 Honduran architectural engineer who started a cargo airline that failed after two months.
James M. VAN HISE USA N92856 August 1953 June 1954 Supposedly leaed out to Riddle Airlines
Joe VAN LIEROP Hartford, MI N91030     A Michigan farm owner who started a non-sked called Commercial Air Cargo. However,
these two Commandos did not operate for that company (only C-47's).
N91031 May 1947 1949
Vinicius Valadares VASCONCELOS Lagoa Santa, Brazil PP-XBR Late 1947 October 1948 Brazilian businessman involved in diamond mining, who projected to start an airline.
Both planes sold to Forca Aerea Brasileira.
PP-XBS November 1947 October 1948
Roberto VASQUEZ Bolivia CP-789 1965 September 1966 Purchased from Transportes Aereos Uruguayos and crashed
Jose VILLAR RIBEIRO Brazil PP-BTZ November 1969 July 1970  
Andrew WEISZ Hollywood, FL N157K June 1972 May 1974 Certainly linked to Vacation Inc.
William C. WILLCOX USA N8394C November 1947 March 1950 Purchased from RFC, leased to CNAC & CAT, sold to W. G. Spillman
Stephen F. WILLIAMS Sacramento, CA N68851 January 1955 May 1955 Probably linked with Borges Tillotson
C. E. YUILLE [probably Clarence] Miami, FL N51863 May 1948 October 1948 Purchased from RFC and sold to Cuba Aeropostal
Unknown Unknown N95463 1952 April 1954 Purchased from RFC & sold to Aigle Azur
Unknown Colombia HK-3150 October 1995 Present Purchased from SELVA and stored in Colombia
Unknown USA N9843F 1956 Unknown Purchased from Cairo after WWII and stored
Unknown Peru OB-XYZ-931 1955 1955 Purchased from Arkia Inland Airlines but not taken up
Unknown USA TEC-6047 Unknown date January 2001 Purchased from the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana and dumped in Mexico City, later confiscated
Unknown Mexico TEC-6047 January 2001 January 2001 Purchased from Mexico City airport and donated to Explora Museum
Unknown USA N2833C 1954 1958 Surplus R5C, sold to L. B. Smith
Unknown Honduras XH-014 Unknown date July 1958 Purchased from LANICA, sold to the Fuerza Aerea Hondurena

 

Last edited: 10/10/2024