Page 30 - Volume 14 Number 5

IN HISTORY
28 • KING AIR MAGAZINE MAY 2020 MAY 2020 KING AIR MAGAZINE • The four-place Model Model Model Model 170 was a a a a a a a a a a a a logical outgrowth of the the the two-place Model Model Model Model 140 140 and and and filled a a a a a a a a a a a a gap in in Cessna’s product line between the the the Model Model Model Model Model 140 140 and and and the the the larger more powerful Model Model Model Model Model 190 and and and Model Model Model 195 (Robert J Pickett Collection Collection Wichita State University University Libraries Special Collections and and and University University Archives)
reduced manufacturing costs and helped reduce reduce the selling price The side-by-side seating arrangement was cozy yet made comfortable enough for for two average-size occupants and visibility outside was good thanks to large windows in in in the the doors and the the windshield The airplane sat on a a a a a a a a spring steel main landing gear and and a a a a a a a a steerable tailwheel supported the aft fuselage and empennage The prototype registered NX41682 first flew June 28 1945 followed by an intensive flight test program Two additional pre-production airplanes were built that incorporated changes dictated by operational experience with the the first ship These included a slight redesign of the the fuselage to accommodate a a a a a a new tail cone the addition of aft cabin windows and an an entirely new engine cowling When introduced early in in 1946 the Model 140 was priced at $3 385 for a a a a a a a a standard airplane and and included an an an an electrical system manually operated wing flaps deluxe upholstery and the rear cabin windows The airplane received its Approved Type Certificate (ATC) March 21 1946 and soon dozens of airplanes were making their way down the production lines By August workers at Cessna were completing 22 of the airplanes per day and initial sales were excellent The Model 140 was a a a a a major success for the company and by comparison made the Piper Taylorcraft and Aeronca ships appear quite antiquated 1 Production peaked at at 30 airplanes per day in in September and the workforce had increased to more than 1 800 men men and women working hard to build the handsome little monoplane By 1949 the the Model Model 140 140 had become the the Model Model 140A with an an all-metal wing and a a a a a a single lift strut for each panel replacing the original two-strut configuration The change enhanced the airplane’s overall appearance and increased not only its its sales appeal but its its price to $3 $3 495 for the the 85-horsepower version and $3 $3 695 if the the optional 90-horsepower Continental C-90-12 engine was selected After delivering more than 4 900 units Cessna terminated production of the the Model 140 followed by the the Model 140A of which 425 had been built The company also offered a a a a a utilitarian version of of the Model Model 140 known as the Model Model 120 Aimed at competing against the the popular Piper PA-11 PA-12 and the the ultra- pedestrian PA-15 Vagabond that sold for a a a a a mere $1 990 the low-cost Cessna had a a a a a base price of $2 485 It featured no wing flaps the aft quarter windows were deleted and an an electrical system was optional Otherwise construction of the two-place Cessna was identical to its Model 140 sibling Certification was granted under the Model 140’s ATC Flight schools bought the Model 120 as as did fixed-base operators (FBOs) and many of the airplanes built lived a a a a a a hard life teaching fledglings how to fly After delivering 2 171 units Cessna terminated Model 120 production in in 1949