CESSNA 120/140

Cessna's 140 was a somewhat more deluxe version of the 120 model when both debuted in 1946. Along with a few cabin refinements, the 140 had a starter, generator, battery, and manually operated plain-hinge flaps. Both were powered by the Continental C85-12, which developed a lusty 85-hp at full RPM, but the 140 could accept the additional surge of a 90-hp Continental up front. A grand total of 2,164 120s were produced by Cessna before this model was phased out in 1948. The side-by-side two-seat 140 continued in production with a choice of the 85-hp or 90-hp engine. Introduced in 1949 as the 140A, the 90-hp version had a metal skin in place of fabric covering on the wings. It featured single wing struts in place of the earlier "Y" struts. More than 5,500 140s and 140As were built before the series was permanently discontinued in 1950. Although the 150 with its tricycle gear was later designed as a replacement for the 120/140 series, there are many pilots who continue to favor the lovable old tail-draggers. A Cessna 140 owned by a flying school in Canada logged more than 17,500 hours of flight time before being respectfully retired. Along with the Aeroncas, Cubs, and Luscombes, the Cessna 140 did its share in making general aviation what it is today.