AIR AMERICA: CURTISS C-46s - The University of Texas at Dallas

Curtiss C-46D B-866 22366 (31 Mar. 59) CAT B-866; previously
USAF 44-78543, then
“543” with CAT; then
XT-T518, then XT-830,
then N8417C, XT-866
Service history: had been fitted with long-range tanks for Operation Repat in October
1953 (Leary, Perilous missions, p. 221); owned by CATCL, leased to CAT Inc (Air
America since 31 March 59) and subleased to Asiatic Aeronautical CoLtd (Air Asia
since 1 April 59) since 17 March 56; lease to Air America and sublease to Air Asia
terminated on 24 October 60, when it was sold to Air Asia the same day (Letter by A.
Hiatt dated 24 October 60, in: UTD/CIA/B9F1; Bill of sale dated 24 October 60, in:
UTD/CIA/B9F1); offered to Los Hermanos Sebastian y Gómez SA, Panama, a CIA
front (Letter dated 12 August 1960, written by Air Asia to Los Hermanos, preserved
at UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel 4); had been regd. to Los Hermanos Sebastian y
Gómez SA, Panama, as HP-314 on 20 October 60; departed Taipei on 19 September
60 for the USA; equipped with a large “Cadillac door” for drops (Letter dated 16
September 60, sent by Robert Rousselot, Vice-President Operations, to George Doole,
Managing Director, at UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel no. 4); arrived at Retalhuleu,
Guatemala (“Rayo Base”), probably in September 60; B-866 left Tainan on 18
September and arrived at Oakland on 21 September 60; the point of hand-over for all
4 C-46s was San Antonio (Memorandum dated 7 October 60, in: UTD/Bisson/B5
microfilm reel no. 4); at that time, the paperwork for 3 of the C-46s had not yet been
ready for transaction (Memorandum dated 24 October 60, in: UTD/Bisson/B5
microfilm reel no, 4); so, B-866 was deregistered only on 3 November 60
(Memorandum dated 15 November 60, in: UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel no.4), but
the aircraft was deleted from all Company reports on B-866 on 23 September 60
(Memorandum dated 21 November 60, in: UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel 4); was to
be used to fly airdrops of arms and ammunition to Cuban guerrillas in the Escambray
Mountains near Trinidad in central Cuba from late September 60 to March 61, as a
preparation to the invasion of the Bay of Pigs operation on 17-20 April 61. During this
time, it was officially regd. to Los Hermanos Sebastian y Gómez, Panama, a CIA
front, and probably flying unmarked; this was one of the C-46s that crashed
(Hagedorn, Central American and Caribbean air forces, p. 148) – probably the one
that had a landing accident at Retalhuleu in October 60, when a trainee nearly tore off
the transport‟s landing gear while attempting to set down at Retalhuleu, so that the
aircraft had to be taken out of service for extensive repairs (Leary / LeSchack, Project
Coldfeet, p.113);
Fate: B-866 was cancelled by the Taiwan CAA on 3 November 60 (Memorandum
dated 15 November 60, in: UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel no.4); in March 1961, Los
Hermanos Sebastian y Gómez informed Air Asia that C-46 c/n 22366 (former B-866)
had been destroyed by a crash with subsequent fire; as a first reaction, on 4 April 61,
Air Asia requested immediate payment of the remaining balance of $ 51,000 for this
aircraft (Letter dated 4 April 61, sent by Air Asia‟s Amos Hiatt to Los Hermanos
Sebastian y Gómez, in: UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel 4); so the aircraft did not take
part in the Bay of Pigs operation itself, but it was later repaired; the subsequent history
of this C-46 (to Feb. 65) was kindly supplied by Steve Darke from the FAA file: sold
to Aviation Sales & Engineering in March 61 (?), possibly unregistered; to Tormac
Associates, Fort Lauderdale, FL, as N8417C on 20 Nov. 61; to Gulf Air Inc., Miami,
FL, on 16 March 62; to Intermountain Aviation, Phoenix, AZ, on 12 July 62; to
Corsair Aircraft Services Co, Miami, FL, on 15 February 65; reregd N9279L on 16