cessna 120 and 140 numbers

[thing73]

does anyone know the numbers of c120 vs. 140 vs.140A produced (and 140A patrollers)???
also, how many on each still exist??

[6183]

From what I understand Cessna made 525 C-140A's from 1949 to 1951. David Lowe once told me that out of the entire production run of the model, thirty six (36) were made as patrollers as ordered by the original purchaser. Probably by companies that conducted pipeline or power line patrol activities. Of interesting note, any 140A can be converted to a patroller version. All the necessary parts were approved on the type certificate, and are listed as optional equipment in the model's parts manual. Main patroller parts consisted of (1) long range tanks, (2) patroller doors, and (3) a message drop tube (remember when 140A's were produced 2-way radios for use between ground crews and the aircraft were probably few and far between, hence it was easier to drop a message to ground crew workers informing them of discovered problems). You could probably find an aircraft with long range tanks and patroller doors, but the tube might be an issue these days. Most patrollers seen today(for that matter the ones I've seen) have the long range tanks and the doors. I've only seen the message tube once.

How many exist today, who knows. You could go to the FAA register for the make and model, but that doesn't cover those that were exported. Furthermore, there's probably some unregistered ones still out there stashed away in pieces that someone might put back together someday.

Sorry, can't help you on our fellow 120 and 140 brethren numbers. Hopefully someone else will chime in with some numbers.

[thing73]

I always heard they made most of the cessna 120's and 140's in 1946