The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

For a factory delivered 1948 Cessna 140 with the bare aluminum and Insignia Red trim, the color charts show 'dark India' for the interior trim, 'silver French grey' for the interior, 'barkweave brown' for the seats, 'bridgeport brown' for the headlining, and brown for the carpets.

What is 'Dark India?' I am guessing black?

Some questions for the 1948 Cessna 140 Instrument Panel:
1 - What was the underlying color of the panel at A?

2 - What was the color of the instrument panel covers at B?

3 - What was the underlying base color behind the plastic panel at C?

Final Question - What was the no-kidding factory array of instruments left to right on the panel, 1 thru 12?

Any help is most appreciated. I am trying to match the factory colors and layout as close as possible. Thanks, Steve

I think the B color ( Dark India) is the brown that my instrument panel is. At least the closest I can find to any reference to dark India.

If you see my post in Member aircraft and project showcase ( Newly installed interior) you will see what I mean.

Contact Lorraine Morris at:

www.taildraggeraviation.com

She and her husband Ken have restored many 140's, some that when they obtained them had the original paint and markings. She can give the answer.

Thanks guys. I sent an email to the Morrises. Any info is appreciated. Work is coming along nicely with about half the plane stripped, cowling repaired, and left wing repaired and almost ready for recovering. Hopefully I can get some definitive answers. Otherwise I may just have to go with what looks good to me. Thanks, Steve

8474 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 9:54 pm I think the B color ( Dark India) is the brown that my instrument panel is. At least the closest I can find to any reference to dark India.

If you see my post in Member aircraft and project showcase ( Newly installed interior) you will see what I mean.

Lorraine Morris confirmed Dark India as a brown. She also sent an original paint and instrument set up for a 1949 which was laid out the same as 1948. See the picture below. VERY HELPFUL, although I have to admit, Cessna's choice of colors for their red-trimmed Cessnas seems kind of bland (if my wife ever sees me trying to wear greys with tans and browns, she frowns big time). But this is what it must have looked like.

Good news is my panel has this exact layout on the main instruments,. Now the last remaining question seems to be the optional instruments at position 1 and position 8. Mine has an ELT on the left and an EGT on the right.

Lots of work to do on the panel now. Many thanks, Steve

Looks great!

Yes Indeed, does look great.

Sometimes a call to Lorraine or Ken is like taking a time machine back into the past to see what these aircraft originally looked like. Thank goodness they have the details after 69 years (1951) since the last 140A rolled off the line at the end of the Cessna 140 production run.

Here's mine. It came new with a gyro attitude indicator and heading indicator. Quite heavy but they still work (for the most part). I'd like to turn my panel back to a more stock look as well. Have to start with a new plexiglass part in the middle....

Love those Gyro and heading indicators! Cool panel. I am guessing by the panel colors that your plane was originally green trimmed instead of red trimmed exterior. Thanks for posting that pic. Steve

To be honest I don’t really know what color the panel was originally!