The Cessna Aircraft Company was founded in Wichita, Kansas in 1927. In 1911, Clyde Cessna, a farmer, built and flew his own airplane. To learn the art of building and designing airplanes, he had spent a month at the Queen Airplane Company in New York. He began building wood-and-fabric airplanes in Oklahoma.
In 1924, Clyde Cessna together with Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech formed the Travel Air Manufacturing Co. in Wichita. In 1927, he left the company to form the Cessna Aircraft Company which focused on building monoplanes.
The company closed in 1932 due to the Depression. In 1934, Cessna’s nephews, Dwane and Dwight Wallace, purchased the company. Dwane was an aeronautical engineer. In 1985, General Dynamics purchased the company. In 1986, Cessna stopped producing piston-engine airplanes. Textron acquired Cessna in 1992.
Shown below are some Cessna airplanes displayed in various museums.
First produced in 1928 by Cessna Aircraft, this four-seat monoplane had a top speed of 128 mph, could cruise at 110 mph, and had a range of 630 miles. A total of 50 of these aircraft were produced. The plane originally sold for $7,115.
This aircraft was on display in the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.
This aircraft was on display in the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) in Hood River, Oregon This airplane has a cruising speed of 157 MPH and a top speed of 169 MPH. A total of 228 of these airplanes were built. The engine is a 165 horsepower Warner Super Searab.
This airplane has a cruising speed of 150 MPH and a top speed of 179 MPH. A total of 5,399 of these airplanes were built. The engine is a 330 horsepower Jacobs R-91 5-7.
This airplane was on display in the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) in Hood River, Oregon.
This aircraft was on display in the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. The Skymaster entered service in 1967. According to the display:
“Able to fly at low altitudes at multiple speeds, the O-2A excelled at locating enemy targets and guiding in artillery or attack aircraft support for ground troops. They were also ideal for locating downed pilots and other search and rescue operations.”
The Skymaster has a top speed of 200 mph and a range of 1,325 miles.
This aircraft was on display in the Stonehenge Air Museum in Fortine, Montana. The A-37A is a light attack aircraft.
Museums 201: The Curtiss Jenny Airplane (photo diary)
Museums 201: Piper Cubs (Photo Diary)
Museums 201: World War I Fokker Airplanes (photo diary)
Museums 201: World War I Sopwith Airplanes (photo diary)
Museums 201: Bell Helicopters (photo diary)
Museums 201: Jet airplanes of the 1940s (photo diary)
Museums 201: Gliders (photo diary)
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