1980s - EARLY CESSNAS

My pictures of early model Cessnas, some still earning their keep, while others were in the antique aircraft "classics"category

Oldest Australian Cessna flying during the decade was C-37 Airmaster VH-UZU, seen at RAAF Richmond NSW October 1988.
The Airmaster series were wood construction with a metal tube fuselage frame, powered by a 145hp Warner Scarab radial.
VH-UZU was imported new in 1937 by MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co which based it at Adelaide and Perth

Waiting in the wings was our only other pre-war Cessna Airmaster,  C-34 VH-KWM, stored on a farm near Bendigo Vic.
It flew again in 1993 as its original 1937 registration VH-UYG, following a long rebuild by Kim Ryan at Cairns Qld

The all-metal Cessna 190 & 195 were the company's first post-war design, in production from 1947.  It was the same airframe
but customers had a choice of radial engines: the 190 had a 240hp Continental W670, while the 195 had various Jacobs radials.
VH-BVD was built in 1950 as a 190, but in more recent times re-engined, prompting CASA to change its designation to 195B 


VH-AVZ was built in 1948 as a Cessna 195 with a 300hp Jacobs R-755.  Pictured at Wodonga Vic in September 1984

Tyabb Vic February 1988. This 1947 model Cessna 140 N2559N had just come out of a shipping container from USA


Cessna commenced production of the round tail 170 series in 1948 and plenty were still available in USA in the 1980s,
This 170A VH-HSV was at Moorabbin Vic in November 1989, just weeks after arriving in a shipping container


170A VH-CAS was owned by Department of Civil Aviation from 1955 to 1978.  Seen at St Arnaud Vic in November 1983

170B VHAMO seen at Parafield SA in February 1988 had been imported in 1954 by the Madang Lutheran Mission, New Guinea

170B VH-BFE was a visitor at the annual Mangalore Vic air show in March 1985. It had been in Australia since 1955

170B VH-BUX in January 1984 at Ballarat Vic where it had been based for twenty years with the Mafair pilot school, training
missionary pilots for rugged New Guinea flying. It was imported in 1955 by the Wabag Lutheran Mission, New Guinea


170B VH-BVH at Parafield October 1984 was another New Guinea veteran, with Madang Air Services and Mandated Airlines

170B VH-CCP at Mangalore April 1984. This had been a 1961 second-hand import by Aero Club of Papua at Port Moresby,
traded in four years later on a Cessna 150C

By the 1980s early model Cessna 150s retaining their Wichita factory original paint schemes were no longer common.
VH-RFZ seen at Cudal NSW in September 1984 is a fine example of a 1959 base model 150 in factory paintwork

1959 model Cessna 172A VH-RJF has been repainted but retained the factory scheme.  Cunderdin WA, August 1986

Beneath this bright modern paintwork is a 1958 production Cessna 175.  Dowerin WA, August 1986

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