How to determine production year of a 120?

Ask Questions and Offer Advice Related to the Cessna 120 & 140 Type

Moderators: 6643, 6183, V529

Forum rules
You must be a member of the Cessna 120-140 Association in order to post new topics, reply to existing topics, or search for information on this forum. Use the "Join" link in the red menu bar.
Post Reply
User avatar
8413
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:11 pm
Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Name: Josh C
Aircraft Type: 140A
Occupation-Interests: Telecommunications
Contact:

How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 8413 »

I’m in the process of purchasing a 120. Serial number 12035. I believe it is a 1947 model based on the serial number. However the current owner was led to believe it’s a 46’. Also one of the airframe logs says 46’. Is the serial number the thing to go by?
6183
Posts: 303
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 7:00 am
Location: Florida
Name: Mike Smith
Aircraft Type: 140A (2) 1949 & 1950
Occupation-Interests: Retired aerial power line patrol pilot for Gulf Power Co
120-140 Assoc. Florida Rep. N9633A & N9688A
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 6183 »

Look at Cessna Service Letter SLN94-06 (you can google it). It gives the serial number runs for all the 120, 140, and 140A models.
User avatar
8413
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:11 pm
Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Name: Josh C
Aircraft Type: 140A
Occupation-Interests: Telecommunications
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 8413 »

Thanks. I had that same info from one of the newsletters. That’s why I believe this 120 with serial number 12085 is a 47’ model. 1947 had serial numbers 11847-14370. I just wasn’t sure if there was some other way to identify the year since there seems to be a conflict between the logs and the serial number. Maybe whoever filled out the log was mistaken.
User avatar
6643
Posts: 2326
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 7:00 am
Location: KLCI
Name: John C
Aircraft Type: 1946 C140/C90
Occupation-Interests: A&P, semi-retired
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 6643 »

The aircraft data plate will have the date of manufacture on it.

Image
User avatar
8413
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:11 pm
Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Name: Josh C
Aircraft Type: 140A
Occupation-Interests: Telecommunications
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 8413 »

Thanks John!
6183
Posts: 303
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 7:00 am
Location: Florida
Name: Mike Smith
Aircraft Type: 140A (2) 1949 & 1950
Occupation-Interests: Retired aerial power line patrol pilot for Gulf Power Co
120-140 Assoc. Florida Rep. N9633A & N9688A
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 6183 »

6643 wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:44 pm The aircraft data plate will have the date of manufacture on it.

Image
Must be a 120 and early 140 thing, 140A’s don’t have the date of manufacture on the data plate.
User avatar
8233
Posts: 276
Joined: Wed May 02, 2018 6:52 pm
Location: Kansas City
Name: David Freeland
Aircraft Type: 1946 C120
Occupation-Interests: Program Management
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 8233 »

I refer to my 120 as a 46/47 hybrid. It was made on 12/17/46 per the logs and data plate but the serial number is 11919 which is a 47 per SLN94-06. Some of my parts like the cowling are the 47. The IPC says the cowl subassembly is different for the 47 120 but also calls out a SN starting at 11843 and I can visually see by the rivets that I have a 47 version.
David Freeland - CFII
1972 Bellanca Super Viking and 1946 Cessna 120
User avatar
8413
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:11 pm
Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Name: Josh C
Aircraft Type: 140A
Occupation-Interests: Telecommunications
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 8413 »

David, looks like mine is similar. Built at the end of 46’ with a 47’ serial number. Ours were built 6 days apart it looks like. Mine was built 12/23/46 with a serial number of 12035.
User avatar
simonlowther
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:32 pm
Location: New Zealand
Name: Simon Lowther
Aircraft Type: C120
Occupation-Interests: Airline pilot Airbus 320
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by simonlowther »

Perhaps the association could look at an online register of aircraft for those whom wish to opt in, given that we are all this year and for the next 3 years all hitting the 75 year mark its front of mind. A page with columns s/n | type | country | reg | current owner might be of interest historically.

Out of interest mine is s/n 11102 built 31 Oct 1946, I'm going to have a birthday party for her.

cheers
Si
Simon Lowther

Cessna 120 (11102)
User avatar
6643
Posts: 2326
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 7:00 am
Location: KLCI
Name: John C
Aircraft Type: 1946 C140/C90
Occupation-Interests: A&P, semi-retired
Contact:

Re: How to determine production year of a 120?

Post by 6643 »

I believe that's all available in the membership directory, but I also believe a decision was made not to put that on line.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests