Cessna Model 120 / 140

1945


LIGHTPLANE	Virtual Aircraft Museum / USA / Cessna

The Cessna Model 120 prototype, first flown on 28 June 1945, represented the company's attempt to capture a share of the post-war market for personal lightplanes. A two-seat cabin monoplane with a strut-braced high-set wing, it was the progenitor of derived models that ramained in production until the late 1980s. Structure was all-metal, except for fabric-covered wings, the landing gear was of fixed tailwheel type introducing cantilever spring steel main units, and the enclosed cabin provided two seats side-by-side and dual controls as standard. Powerplant comprised an 63kW Continental engine, and the higher power of this unit by comparison with competing types, plus a low price tag, ensured that Cessna gained an unexpectedly large measure of sales success.

The Model 120, a basic aircraft, was complemented by a 'de luxe' Model 140 which provided as standard manually actuated trailing-edge flaps, extra cabin windows and a full electrical system. When production of the Models 120 and 140 ended in 1950 more than 2,200 Model 120s and 5,000 Model 140s had been built.

Specification

MODEL	Model 140
ENGINE	1 x Continental C-85-12F flat-four piston engine, 63kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	680 kg	1499 lb
Empty weight	408 kg	899 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	10.01 m	33 ft 10 in
Length	6.4 m	21 ft 0 in
Height	1.91 m	6 ft 3 in
Wing area	14.82 m²	159.52 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	193 km/h	120 mph
Cruise speed	169 km/h	105 mph
Ceiling	4725 m	15500 ft
Range	724 km	450 miles

Comments

1-20 21-40

Don Smith, e-mail, 05.12.2010 21:46

I rented a 140 from Aviation Icon Sam Baker at Brunswick, GA for my homeymoon. AC was N89180. Flew to West End for 3 day honey moon. gret little air craft with Superhomer VHT3. The year was 1962.

ken umpenhour, e-mail, 19.11.2010 14:40

When I got out of the AAF in 1949, I bought a C120 for $1100, later, in 1981, I bought a 1966 Citabria. Then I thought, what progress that was over 32 years. basically the same airplane!

Darrell Smittle, e-mail, 13.11.2010 00:30

My first airplane was a Cessna 140, N76905. Paid $7,500 for it with a partner in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Found out about 20 years after selling it that a rancher in Wyoming now ownes it. It was a delight to fly, land, take off and own.

Bob Leonard, e-mail, 27.10.2010 03:21

Back in 1957, in Fairbanks AK, I started flying N77377, a C-120. After being in an 'Air Knocker' the C-120 seemed like a real fast airplane, to a then very young pilot. I did lots of hours around central Alaska during 57 & 58. Over the years I got back into a C-140 a few times and enjoyed every trip. Even flew the C-140 on skies during the winter months.

Pete Bernard, e-mail, 07.10.2010 20:34

N89572. I bought my '46 C-140 a little over 4 years ago and have loved every minute of time in it. I fly it literally every weekend except when it's down for the annual, about 50 hours a year. Metalized wings. Manufacture date is June 10th, 1946 and I purchased it on June 10th, 2006! Didn't realize this until a few days after I flew it home and looked closely at the dataplate. Mine was upgraded with a Lycoming O-290D (125 hp) back in the '90s so it's a real rocketship!

Larry Surratt, e-mail, 17.09.2010 00:11

In response to Ron Wiener's claim of having the oldest 120 flying, I want to add that I have ONE of the oldest 140's flying. Serial #8015 N#89011 Born April 3, 1946, now located in Victoria Texas.

Tom Rennolds, e-mail, 08.09.2010 17:47

Purchased 140A, N5354C 1966 thur 1968 received private,commercial,most of Instrument, and CFI ratings in it. I loved that little Cessna! Sold it in 1970. Wish I still owned it!

Ed Yung, e-mail, 03.08.2010 00:10

My 1st plane was a 2,500 hour '48 Ces 120 at age 17, & I still consider it my favorite & possibly the ideal plane. TRULY WONDERFUL; a joy to fly. Started in J-3 & T-Craft, went on to lfy 45 types, obtain most available licenses & r batings; including T-33 & King Aire briefly (sole amnipulator) & a Pitts, Great Lakes bipe; bought new 172 in '64 & recently sold after 41 years. Love everything I'v flown, but Cessnas are the best & most reliable & safest. Now about to publish a book on 38 different aero navigation methods; with our family of 6 on a flying carpet on cover. Title: Navigate oyur magic carpet. Retired Engineer

Johan Runfeldt, e-mail, 15.08.2010 11:17

As I'm about to build a model of a 120, it would be interesting to get some input about which maneuvres the full-scale version was capable of. Just so I will be able to fly my model in a scale-like fashion.

E Ken Cashion, e-mail, 01.04.2010 00:19

My dad bought a C-120 for $900 in 1948. I remember it had a wooden prop because it broke when we nosed up while he was braking on a bumpy grass strip.

Joe Freed, e-mail, 11.03.2010 18:57

1947 140 N2092V SS# 14304 I have always wanted a polished tail dragger, I found this cutie about 2 years ago and fell in love with her. Being a pilot for over 40 years and having no tail dragger time I finally had the opportunity to buy my dream airplane.

Leo Smith, e-mail, 17.02.2010 17:40

I have owned Cessna N1751V,S /N13936 a C-120 built June 12, 1947 now going on 32yrs. It has been rebuilt twice. It still has the rag wings, the C-85-12F and flys just "SUPER".
I also maintain and fly a 1946, C-140 owned by a friend, N90130, S /N 9191.
What wonderful little aircraft they are.....
Over'N Out
037

Kent Goodman, e-mail, 04.09.2010 06:21

Two friends and myself bought a 1947 Cessna 120 in 1970 for $2,100. We all obtained our fix wing pilot liciences and flew out of St. George, UT. We flew the airplane 600 hours and sold it in 1975 for $3,000. Wished I still had it. One of the many great things I loved about it was just letting go of the controls and it would fly itself. 3 September 2010

Ron Wiener, e-mail, 06.02.2010 23:58

I have an early 1946 Cessna 120 serial # 8606. N89563 I think I have the oldest one still flying? I have updated the enging to a 0200 which helps in Tucson AZ with the heat. Ron

John Houghton, e-mail, 05.02.2010 01:57

Did you intentionally forget to include the C-140A model in your listing? That is what I learned to fly in. It was the the last model of C-140 that was built, only about 500+.

Bobby Love, 21.01.2010 06:00

Still have a 140 , its birthday is july 16 1946

Will Mitchell, e-mail, 31.07.2008 06:27

I loved and learned to really fly in a 140 with an 85 hp motor. It would spin like a top and come out of the spin honestly. The gear was wide enough that it seemed stable, compared with the Piper Pacer my IP owned, but I did have a moment. Mine had buckshot dents in the left side where someone took a potshot at the previous owner. Once flying west out of the Sierras, I found myself climbing in a max airspeed dive, and then I got smart and let it climb, because later there'd be a downdraft. Topping at 13,000, I found myself scared by trees at 7,000 about fifteen minutes later. Whew! I hired someone to fly it from Calif to Okla where I was attending USAF pilot school, and he made a mistake taking off INTO the wind. At Gallup, NM, one often accepted a tailwind takeoff, because that direction the terrain drops off in front of you. Anyhow, the plane would only climb about 400 fpm at the high density altitude and possible overload, and the land was coming up at about 500 fpm. He survived. I still have the tail, seats, wheels and a door.

Larry C.Miller, e-mail, 03.05.2008 00:16

I had a 1946 C-120 for 9 years.I learned to fly a tailwheel in it.It was a great little airplane and it kept you on your toes in a crosswind landing.

Glenn E. Kohr, e-mail, 19.04.2008 21:12

This is the plane that I first soloed in many years ago. I still have fond memories of crosswind landings and flying backwards when we had STRONG headwinds down the runway. YES, it could actually be done.

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