Cessna 140

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Single engine light airplane

title: "Cessna 140" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cessna-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "1940s-united-states-civil-utility-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1945", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear", "single-engined-piston-aircraft"] description: "Single engine light airplane" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_140" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Single engine light airplane ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]

FieldValue
nameCessna 120 & 140
imageFile:N2422V 1948 CESSNA 140 s n 14669 (49509431121).jpg
captionCessna 140
typeLight utility aircraft
manufacturerCessna Aircraft Company
first_flightJune 28, 1945 (140)
1946 (120)
introduction1946
produced1946–1951
number_built7,664
::

|name=Cessna 120 & 140 |image=File:N2422V 1948 CESSNA 140 s n 14669 (49509431121).jpg |caption=Cessna 140 |type=Light utility aircraft |manufacturer=Cessna Aircraft Company |designer= |first_flight=June 28, 1945 (140) 1946 (120) |introduction=1946 |retired= |status= |primary_user= |more_users= |produced=1946–1951 |number_built=7,664 |variants=

The Cessna 120, 140, and 140A, are single-engine, two-seat, conventional landing gear (tailwheel), light general aviation aircraft that were first produced in 1946, immediately following the end of World War II. Production ended in 1951, and was succeeded in 1959 by the Cessna 150, a similar two-seat trainer which introduced tricycle gear. Combined production of the 120, 140, and 140A was 7,664 units in five years.

Development

Cessna 140

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Cessna_140_(NC89109)_03.jpg" caption="Cessna 140 taxiing"] ::

The Cessna 140 was originally equipped with a Continental C-85-12 or C-85-12F horizontally opposed, air-cooled, four-cylinder piston engine of 85 hp. The Continental C-90-12F or C-90-14F of 90 hp was optional, as was the 108 hp Lycoming O-235-C1 engine, an aftermarket installation authorized in the type certificate. This model had a metal fuselage and fabric wings with metal control surfaces. The Cessna 170 was a larger four-seat development of the 140, sporting a more powerful engine. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Restored_1946_Cessna_140_in_California.JPG" caption="Restored 1946 Cessna 140"] ::

Cessna 120

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/G-BUHZ.jpg" caption="Cessna 120, built 1948, showing the smooth underside of the inboard wing, without flaps."] ::

The Cessna 120 was an economy version of the 140 produced at the same time. It had the same engine as the 140, but lacked wing flaps. The rear-cabin "D" side windows and electrical system (radios, lights, battery and starter) were optional. A 120 outfitted with every factory option would be nearly equivalent to a 140, but the International Cessna 120/140 Association believes that no 120s were originally built this way. Despite this, many decades' worth of owner-added options have rendered many 120s almost indistinguishable from a 140 aside from the absence of wing flaps. The 120 was dropped from production upon introduction of the 140A in 1949. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/1946Cessna120.jpg" caption="1946 Cessna 120, in Nebraska, 1964"] ::

Cessna 140A

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/G-BOCI_Cessna_Ce.140A_(8650894675).jpg" caption="Cessna 140A with the single wing strut"] ::

In 1949, Cessna introduced the 140A, a new variant with aluminum-covered wings and single wing struts instead of the fabric wing covering, dual "V" struts, and jury struts fitted on earlier models. Standard engines were the Continental C-90-12F or C-90-14F of 90 hp, with the 85 hp Continental C-85-12, C-85-12F, or C-85-14F engines optional. The spring-steel gear had been swept 3 in forward on 120 and 140 models in late 1947 so landing gear extenders were no longer necessary to counter nose-over tendencies during heavy application of brakes; all 140A models had the improved gear legs. Despite these improvements, sales of the 140 lineup faltered, and the 140A comprised only seven percent of overall 120/140 production.

Modifications

Common modifications to the Cessna 120 and 140 include:

  • "Metalized" wings, where the fabric is replaced with light-gauge sheet aluminum, eliminating the need to periodically replace the wing fabric.
  • The installation of landing gear extenders to reduce the tendency of the aircraft to nose over on application of heavy braking. These were factory-optional equipment.
  • Installation of rear-cabin "D" side windows on 120s that were not originally so equipped.
  • Installation of electrical systems on 120s that were not originally so equipped, allowing owners to install an electric starter, more sophisticated avionics, or lights for night flying.
  • Installation of a more powerful engine. A popular conversion today is to replace the original C-85 or C-90 with a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200.

Three propellers with different pitches of the propeller blades were originally available on the Cessna 140A model, the standard propeller, a climb propeller, and a cruise propeller. A Cessna 140A with a Continental 100 HP O-200 and a cruise propellor could cruise past the larger, usually faster, Cessna 172.

A kit is available to install a Lycoming O-320 but this conversion is less prevalent due to a roughly 100 lb (45 kg) weight penalty and a sharp increase in fuel consumption.

Operators

Military

;

Specifications (Cessna 140)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/1946_Cessna_140_Interior.JPG" caption="1946 Cessna 140 interior"] ::

|ref=The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas, AOPA Pilot, and Aircraft Specification No. A-768. |prime units?=imp met(ric) first for all others. You MUST choose a format, or no specifications will show -- General characteristics

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft=21 |length in=6 |length note= |span m= |span ft=33 |span in=4 |span note= |height m= |height ft=6 |height in=3 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=159.3 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=890 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=1450 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=25 US gallons (95 liters), of which 21 US gallons (79.5 liters) are useable |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Continental C-85 |eng1 type=four cylinder, four stroke, horizontally opposed aircraft engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=85 |eng1 shp=

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Sensenich |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in=72 |prop note=

Performance

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=125 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=105 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=45 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note=flaps down |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph=140 |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles=450 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=15500 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=680 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=9.1 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics= ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/CC-AKT_(tail,_cessna_140).jpg" caption="View (from behind) of a Cessna 140."] ::

References

References

  1. Simpson, Rod: ''The General Aviation Handbook'', Midland Publishing 2005, {{ISBN. 1-85780-222-5, p.81.
  2. Christy, Joe: ''The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas - 3rd Edition'', pages 12-17. TAB Books, 1979. {{ISBN. 0-8306-2268-3
  3. Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', page 22. Werner & Werner Corp Publishing, 1978. {{ISBN. 0-918312-00-0
  4. Federal Aviation Administration. (July 29, 2015). "Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A-768".
  5. Twombly, Ian J.. (October 2011). "Budget Buy: Drag your tail - cheaply!". AOPA Pilot.
  6. International Cessna 120-140 Association, [http://www.cessna120-140.org/forum/files/.pdf Landing Gear Legs and Extenders for the Cessna 120/140/140A Planes] {{webarchive. link. (2014-01-09)
  7. [[Edward H. Phillips. Phillips, Edward H.]], : ''Wings of Cessna, Model 120 to the Citation III'', Flying Books, 1986. {{ISBN. 0-911139-05-2
  8. Federal Aviation Administration. (July 29, 2015). "Type Certificate Data Sheet No. 5A2".
  9. Cessna. (1954). "Cessna Model 120 & 140 Parts Catalog".
  10. Hagedorn 1993, p. 55.
  11. Hagedorn 1993, p. 38.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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