Cessna model numbers

[Sentinel Chicken]

Source: Airlife's General Aviation, Second Edition by RW Simpson

The complete listing of Cessna project/model numbers would take pages, but here's the basic recap:

100 Series | Light single engined up to 280hp | ex. Cessna 172
200 Series | Larger single engined over 280hp | ex. Cessna 208 Caravan
300 Series | Light twin up to 600hp | ex. Cessna 310, Cessna 337 Skymaster
400 Series | Medium twin over 600 hp | ex. Cessna 401
500 Series | Light turbofan | ex. Cessna 525 CitationJet
600 Series | Medium turbofan | ex. Cessna 650 Citation III
700 Series | Large turbofan | ex. Cessna 750 Citation X

Naturally there have been exceptions to this, most notably the Model 318 (T-37 jet trainer) and Model 305 (O-1 Bird Dog).

Cessna has also used letter suffixes, previously to denote successive model years (ex. Cessna 172D, 172E, for example) but later used a new letter suffix attached to the model number only when there were signficant changes to the model (ex. Cessna 208A Caravan stretched to become the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan). Single engined models sometimes got "RG" when they were offered with retractable undercarriage (most notably the 172RG and 177RG models of the Skyhawk and Cardinal, respectively).

The letter prefix "R" was used to denote models built by Cessna's French subsidiary, Reims (ex. R172)

 

[elmayerle]

I thought it was an "F" prefix that designated Reims-built products, such as the F337 rather than "R". As I remember, and it's been nearly 30 years since I worked there, the "R" designation was for an up-engined variant and there was an "A" designation for "Aerobat" - a verision designed for at least some aerobatics), yielding such as the FRA150 which had a RR/Continental IO240 in place of the 150/F150's O200 and an airframe that wsa stronger than a plain 150's.

 

[Sentinel Chicken]

Egads, I believe you're correct, Evan. Minor brain fart there, the "F" prefix is for Reims-built models.

 

[hesham]

Thanks Matej,

Cessna Model-330 :twin engined light aircraft based on Model-411.
Cessna Model-435 :was Model-441 with two P&W PT6A turboprops
engines.
Cessna Model-560XL Citation Excel :a new design with Citation V wing and
tail, shortened Citation III fuselage,two P & W PW545A
turbofans,trailing link undercarriage and Citation X panel
and avionics.
Cessna Model-700 :was Citation III with three engines and T-tail,project only.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

a little known Cessna aircraft;
Model-177RG strated its life as Model-1008,Model-360 was initial
designation for Model-402,Model-382 was unofficial designation
for Cessna-182Q fitted with Porsche PFM.3200 engine and Model-435
Conquest II was Model-441 powered by two P&W PT6A turboprops.

 

[kenneth]

is there a Cessna Model 330? Presumably built 1966.
And what about the Model 339?

 

[Stargazer]

The 1966 Cessna Model 330 was a twin-engined light aircraft based on the Model 411. However I have not been able to establish if it reached prototype stage or remained a project only.

Yes, the use of the "1008" designator for the 177RG prototype is extremely odd, considering the fact that Cessna usually reserved the 1000-series for radio-magnetic and navigation indicators... This being said, there are a few more instances:
- Model 1014 was the XMC "Magic Carpet" research twin-boomer of 1970-71, a sort of mini-Skymaster (the Model 1034 is said to be a design associated with the same program).
- Model SM-1019 was a version of the Bird Dog for the Italian Armed Forces built under license by SIAI-Marchetti.
- Model 1023 was a Model 177 modified in 1971 and powered by a CW Wankel engine.

 

[walter]

It remains strange that no info is available on the Model 330. I may be bold, but was it such a bad design that Cessna decided to NEVER talk about it again and tear up the photos?
I think that the 330 was indeed built. I have seen details such as: date of first flight 30 November 1966, engines two 285-300hp Continental TSIO-520, registration N3764C and as Stargazer2006 already mentions, it may have been a slightly smaller and lighter Model 411 (or even 340).
Walter

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks, Walter. We'll keep looking!

Kenneth, I got some really odd model numbers from Cessna in my list, but I have never heard of any "Cessna 339". Doesn't mean it never existed, though.

 

[kenneth]

thanks everybody for your clarifications. i got these model numbers from the net and i always want to check their existance. the Model 1034 XMC is similar to the 1014 XMC except that it has a shrouded propellor.

 

[hesham]

It remains strange that no info is available on the Model 330. I may be bold, but was it such a bad design that Cessna decided to NEVER talk about it again and tear up the photos?
I think that the 330 was indeed built. I have seen details such as: date of first flight 30 November 1966, engines two 285-300hp Continental TSIO-520, registration N3764C and as Stargazer2006 already mentions, it may have been a slightly smaller and lighter Model 411 (or even 340).
Walter

Yes,only one aircraft was built (c/n 659).

 

[elmayerle]

For projects Cessna would like to forget, there's the Cessna "Skyhook" light helicopter. For projects abandoned just before a change in technology would've made them great, there's the Cessna 620, powered by four GTSIO-520 engines. If they'd persevered with it just a little longer, affordable small turboprops would've become available and two of those could have been fitted in place of the four piston engines and the King AIr/Super King Air family would've had competition from the very beginning.

 

[Stargazer]

Yes, but the Skyhook was never a Cessna project to begin with. It was developed by a small company named Seibel, which Cessna decided to purchase when it sought to expand in new directions (and after Seibel's YH-24 had shown promise in the eyes of the U.S. Army). They thought the improved YH-41 Seneca (the Skyhook in Army guise) would be a hit, but it flopped. Existing examples were converted as TH-41 trainers while a few others were lend-leased to foreign countries... and that was the end of Cessna Helicopters.

Now if we're talking Cessna projects that the company orobably would rather forget (not necessarily for lack of virtue), what about the P-260 (C-106) Loadmaster? the four-seat Model 187? The Model 303 Clipper/Crusader? The Model 320 Skyknight? The Model 327 Baby Skymaster? The five-seat Model P-411? The Model 600 Fanjet? The Model 680 Sovereign? The Model 526 Citation Jet trainer for the JPATS competition? Plus all the others whose aborted development we are not even aware of...

 

[elmayerle]

Or the original Model 700 Citation III? I know a gent who was hired on that one and it was cancelled the day he reported to work. The 327 was an attractive aircraft, resembling a cross between a 177RG and a 337.

Then there were some of the interesting paper projects like the 185RG or the original 208 which was a tandem wing concept or a twin-turboprop version of the 207. I wish I'd taken lots more notes back when I worked at Cessna-Pawnee Engineering.

 

[Stargazer]

Ah, regrets... Let's hope at least that some devoted archivists will have safeguarded those treasures for future researchers...

 

[elmayerle]

Well, the one very good Cessna archivist I knew died back in 1985. He was a good friend and a modeler and he is missed.

 

[memaerobilia]

Interesting discussion. But where does this leave the EARLY designations such as the (obvious) AW, and the DC-6 and CW-6 (& others) for the late 1920s? Some One Of A Kinds...

 

[Stargazer]

I was thinking along the same lines this very day, and have a theory about it, for what it's worth.

First you need to omit Cessna's first two aircraft, the 1926 "Travel Air" and the 1927 "Comet", and then you have the embryo of a logical designations system:

- MODEL A exists as plain A, AW, AF, AS, AA and AC.
- MODEL B exists as BW only.
- MODEL C exists as CW-6 (for six seats).

In this initial 1928 system, the first letter corresponds to the model, while the second indicates the engine make.

And then:

- MODEL D exists as DC-6, DC-6A "Chief" and DC-6B "Scout".
- MODEL E exists as EC-1 and EC-2.
- MODEL F exists as FC-1 only.
- MODEL G exists as GC-1 and GC-2.

In this second set of 1929-1930 designations, the model letter remains, but the second letter, a "C" (presumably for Cessna) remains unchanged.

The whole thing would be near-perfect if there weren't an handful of 1930 out-of-sequence designators, though:
- the MW-1 racer,
- the CG-2 glider and its powered CPG-1 variant,
- the undesignated "Baby Cessna".

Then in 1932-1933, a third set of designations appears, the CR- for Cessna Racer series: CR-1, CR-2 and CR-3...

My theory (although the above totals 25 distinct aircraft) is that there must have been about 33 separate designs in the Cessna vaults at the time the new 1935 system was introduced, prompting someone to name the next project "C-34". Not that the three-digit list as we know it is always so logical in itself, but it's a start... :

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is Cessna Model-600 and Model-700;


http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4597.0/highlight,cessna+700.html

 

[Maveric]

I´ve found an article about the new Cessna Citation Latitude and Cessna Citation M.2? Do you know the Model numbers?


Thanks Maveric

 

[Machdiamond]

The Latitude is model 680A and the M2 is a model 525.

 

[Maveric]

Thanks Machdiamond!

 

[famvburg]

Exceptions to the 200 series over 280 hp are the 205 & early 210, both being 260 hp. the A188B AgTruck is 285 hp or 310 hp in the AgHusky, yet are still 100 series. the original 188 agWagon was 230 hp.

Source: Airlife's General Aviation, Second Edition by RW Simpson

The complete listing of Cessna project/model numbers would take pages, but here's the basic recap:

100 Series | Light single engined up to 280hp | ex. Cessna 172
200 Series | Larger single engined over 280hp | ex. Cessna 208 Caravan
300 Series | Light twin up to 600hp | ex. Cessna 310, Cessna 337 Skymaster
400 Series | Medium twin over 600 hp | ex. Cessna 401
500 Series | Light turbofan | ex. Cessna 525 CitationJet
600 Series | Medium turbofan | ex. Cessna 650 Citation III
700 Series | Large turbofan | ex. Cessna 750 Citation X

Naturally there have been exceptions to this, most notably the Model 318 (T-37 jet trainer) and Model 305 (O-1 Bird Dog).

Cessna has also used letter suffixes, previously to denote successive model years (ex. Cessna 172D, 172E, for example) but later used a new letter suffix attached to the model number only when there were signficant changes to the model (ex. Cessna 208A Caravan stretched to become the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan). Single engined models sometimes got "RG" when they were offered with retractable undercarriage (most notably the 172RG and 177RG models of the Skyhawk and Cardinal, respectively).

The letter prefix "R" was used to denote models built by Cessna's French subsidiary, Reims (ex. R172)

 

[famvburg]

That sounds right as the Skyhawk XP is an R172K.

I thought it was an "F" prefix that designated Reims-built products, such as the F337 rather than "R". As I remember, and it's been nearly 30 years since I worked there, the "R" designation was for an up-engined variant and there was an "A" designation for "Aerobat" - a verision designed for at least some aerobatics), yielding such as the FRA150 which had a RR/Continental IO240 in place of the 150/F150's O200 and an airframe that wsa stronger than a plain 150's.

 

[Stargazer]

From the Bernard Lindenbaum Vertical Flight Research Collection:

CH-3..........KINEDYNE helicopter proposal (1958)
??...............KINEDYNE 2 helicopter proposal (1958)

 

[hesham]

From the Bernard Lindenbaum Vertical Flight Research Collection:
??...............KINEDYNE 2 helicopter proposal (1958)

May be it was CH-4 as in this topic;


http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6900.msg58991.html#msg58991

 

[Stargazer]

??...............KINEDYNE 2 helicopter proposal (1958)

May be it was CH-4

No. The CH-4 was Cessna's entry for Army's LOH program, a CH-1C with Allison 250 engine mounted behind the rear passenger seat. The CH-4 LOH proposal was submitted in full to the Army in January, 1961 to kick off the year. An award announcement was expected by May, 1961. Companies submitting proposals were Bell, Hiller, Boeing, Cessna, Gyrodyne, Kaiser, Kaman, McDonnell, Republic, Hughes, Lockheed and Sikorsky; a dozen contenders for two spots. The CH-4 mock-up is pictured below; the turbine engine compartment is located behind the rear seats.

Please check this link for more pictures: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6900.msg139237.html#msg139237

 

[hesham]

From the Bernard Lindenbaum Vertical Flight Research Collection:

CH-3..........KINEDYNE helicopter proposal (1958)
??...............KINEDYNE 2 helicopter proposal (1958)

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2672.msg21531.html#msg21531

 

[Stargazer]

A few more mysterious designations to add to this oh-so-Cessna tradition...

• P-370: First project to design a "Family Car of the Air"; replaced by P-780; Report No. 450, Structures Department, Cessna Specification, Jan. 22, 1944. [DW]
• Model 130 Fliver: Job #81028. Job dated 02/1969. 02/13/1969. [RTE]
• Model C-186F: Floatplane refitted with skis. No data. [?]
• Model 300: AMX Experimental Trainer Airplane Proposal; Preliminary Specification No. 1050. Dec. 47. [DW]
• Model 302: Mini twin, conceptual model. No job #. n.d. [RTE]
• Model 323: No details; existence of a "Sales manual" makes this designation pretty dubious. [DW]
• Model 330: Twin-engined light aircraft based on Model 411, became the 340; Jobs #2016, M2042, M2005, M2006 (exterior details) dated 12/1966 and 07/1967;
  Jobs #M2022, M2026, M2027. n.d. [RTE]
• Model 332: No details; Wind Tunnel Tests of the 1/5 Scale Cessna 332 Airplane Powered Model [UW].
• Model 337: O-2C military plane; the Model number is known, but there was no O-2C version procured; Job #11000. Job dated 01/1967. [c.1967] [RTE]
• Model 339: Super Skymaster; no details on this version; could be a mistake [Wikipedia]
• Model 407A: Military version of Model 407; Airplane Number 3200, Detailed Specification, October 15, 1963; Sales Manual: Cessna Military Aircraft Division. [DW]
• Model 1029 XMC: A surprising designation considering the XMC has been known as the Models 1014 and 1034; Job #81032. Job dated 05/1971. [RTE]
• A-37 Jet. Model. Job #X4565. Job dated 02/28/1968. 12/1971. [DW]

DW: Dwayne Wallace Papers
RTE: Richard Ten Eyck papers
UW: University of Wichita engineering reports
? : Source unknown

 

[Stargazer]

A few more little-known designations, many from my own lists:

• P-780: development of AIRMASTER with 245 hp Jacobs, prototype of Model 195
• Model 142: preliminary designation for Model 150 [N34258, c/n 617].
• Model 160: single engine, four place, high wing, strut-braced, prototype monoplane [N5419E, c/n 643] (1962).
• Model 187: intended to replace the 182; had full cantilever wing like the 210 and stabilator. [N7167C, c/n 666] (ff-22 Apr 68)
• Twin 195: no details. [DW]
• Model 308: Four Place Single Engine Liaison Aircraft; Specification No. 1300; Performance Data Report, Report No. 1301, Dec. 15, 1950. [DW]
  NOTE: one prototype was built in 1951 as a six-seat high-wing all-metal utility aircraft, sort of an overgrown BIRD DOG [N41696, c/n 603]
• Model 309: research test bed investigating boundary layer control wings on a Model 170 fuselage [N5516C] (ff-Dec. 51)
• Model 309A: same aircraft modified in 1952.
• Model 309B: same aircraft modified in 1953; used chemical gas generating system to provide airflow.
• Model 309C: same aircraft further modified in 1953-54.
• Model 325: single-seat L-19, factory-modified as a commercial crop sprayer (4 built, at least one to Panama) (1953-56).
• Model 327 Baby Skymaster: subscale commercial variant of Model 337; to NASA for wind tunnel tests [N3769C, c/n 663 or 24001].
• Model 343: pre-project for Model 187.
• Model 350: initial designation of Citation.
• Model 360: prototype of Model 402.
• Model 382: unofficial designation for a Model 182Q fitted with a Porsche PFM-3200 engine.
• Model 405: VU Class four-seater utility/liaison twin-jet proposal for US Navy, based on T-37 (Sep. 56).
• Model 407 Twin Jet: 6-seat liaison aircraft, a T-37 development competing against T-39; later bulbous radome; not flown [N34267, c/n 627]
• Model 670 Citation IV project.
• Model 850 Citation Colombus.
• Model 1008: prototype of Model 177RG [perhaps N7172C, c/n 671] (1969).
• Model 1014 XMC (eXperimental Magic Carpet): prototype of Model 177RG [N7174C, c/n 674] (ff-22 Jan 71).
• SM-1019: prototype with 317hp (236kW) Allison 250-B15C turboprop engine (ff-24 May 69).
• SM-1019A: SM.1019E.I production variant with 400hp (298kW) Allison 250-B17B engine.
• SM-1019B: no details.
• Model 1023: variant of Model 177 with CW Wankel engine.
• Model 1034 XMC (eXperimental Magic Carpet): same aircraft as the Model 1014, modified with ducted rear propeller.
• Model TZR-2: No job #. Job dated 11/1957.[c.1957][RTE]

 

[Maveric]

Thanks, Star.

 

[Stargazer]

About the P-370 and P-780:

Chief Engineer Jerry Gerteis and his crew of able engineers tackled the task of designing a "Family Car of the Air", labeling the paper airplane experimental project P-370. After progressing through initial design stage to mockup form, the four-place P-370 was abandoned in 1945 in favor of a more promising design that had been under development concurrently with P-370.

Known as P-780 in late 1944, the airplane was strictly a proof-of-concept ship that employed as many existing Bobcat parts as possible and adhered closely to the successful prewar Airmaster in overall layout.

Going from the drawing board to final assembly in only six months. the airplane featured a welded steel tube, fabric covered fuselage (the decision to build the fuselage of steel tubing/fabric cover was a time-saving concession only; Cessna intended to utilize an all-metal fuselage on production airplanes). Also featured were an all-metal full cantilever wing, chrome-vanadium spring steel landing gear, and a non-steerable tail-wheel. Empennage group was all-metal, and the horizontal stabilizer was a full cantilever structure.

Powered by a 245 HP Jacobs static radial engine turning a two-blade, constant-speed propeller, P-780 first flew in December 1944. Test flights showed a maximum speed of more than 170 MPH and development of a second prototype was accelerated in early 1945.

Redesignated as Model 190, the #2 ship featured an all-metal, semi-monocoque fuselage with attention to streamlining from propeller to rudder and retained the cantilever wing design of P- 780. With a 300 HP Jacobs radial up front, the 190 prototype (e/n 7002, NX41683) flew on October 15, 1945. On a later flight it attained a maximum speed of 180 MPH.
To make the 190 design more appealing to buyers, Cessna decided to offer a second version with a 240 HP Continental radial. First flight was in June, 1946.

Prior to entering production on the two ships. Cessna designated the Continental-powered airplane the Model 190 and the Jacobs-powered machine, the Model 195.

Oiriginally published in 1987 in the Aviation Mechanic's Journal.
Source: The International 195 Club Spring Bulletin 1997

 

[Maveric]

Cessna 405

 

[hesham]

Great work stargazer,


also the little known models are;


680
675
230
3101

 

[Stargazer]

680
675
230
3101

• I have listed the Model 680 already. It is the Citation Sovereign (the Citation Latitude is the Model 680A).
• The so-called Caravan 675 is probably just a Model 208.
• There is no known Model 230. The Agwagon 230 was the Model 188 while the Agwagon 300 was the Model 188A.
• There is no Model 3101. It was a typo for the Model 310I, of which 200 examples were built. [Source of error]

 

[Stargazer]

My theory (although the above totals 25 distinct aircraft) is that there must have been about 33 separate designs in the Cessna vaults at the time the new 1935 system was introduced, prompting someone to name the next project "C-34". Not that the three-digit list as we know it is always so logical in itself, but it's a start... :

Quoting myself on this one, since I've come across new evidence purporting this theory: a 1929 advert for the brand new DC-6 (still looking very much like a BW) and described as the "Model 15" and Cessna's "15th model."

 

[hesham]

Great work stargazer,


also the little known models are;


680
675
230
3101

Hi Stragazer,


the Model 680,you already put it in the list.


The Model 675 was business jet aircraft,may be related to Citation.


The Model 230 was as you mentioned,but they called it Cessna 230;
http://www.aerofiles.com/_cessna.html


The Model 3101 (not 310I) mention like this in Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1964-1965,
but I miss that book from my series.

 

[Stargazer]

The Model 675 was business jet aircraft,may be related to Citation.

Prove it! Until then it doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned.

The Model 230 was as you mentioned,but they called it Cessna 230;
http://www.aerofiles.com/_cessna.html

"They"? Aerofiles does. That doesn't make it right. Aerofiles is an unrivaled source of great info, but it does have mistakes here and there.
I want to see a document or an ad from that period clearly stating "Cessna 230" and "Cessna 300". Or have Jos Heyman's opinion about it.

The Model 3101 (not 310I) mention like this in Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1964-1965,
but I miss that book from my series.

IF this appeared in Jane's, then it was a typo from Jane's, period. There is no reason why Cessna would have a four-digit designation like that for a derivative of the Model 310. The number "1" and the letter "I" have often been mixed up, even in official documents (there IS a reason for "I" and "O" to be skipped as DoD suffixes).

 

[hesham]

For Model 675,


it was mentioned in a magazine as I think,but I will check about it,also the
Model 680 was in the same article.


For Model 3101,it was the Model 310,but why they called it Model 3101 ?;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Photo-1964-Cessna-Model-3101-N8001M-Sales-Photo-/271172519623?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14587%26meid%3D6258842760631940654%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D271140614103%26&nma=true&si=pKaEvkvvwvzGnkTOcUcIZZfv%252BDA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[aim9xray]

For Model 3101,it was the Model 310,but why they called it Model 3101 ?;

Because it was built after the 310H and before the 310J. Cessna was updating aircraft almost yearly (much like the auto manufacturers during the 50's and 60's) and incrementing the model [alphabetical] suffix, partly for advertising and marketing purposes. For a while, the suffix changed with the year; minor and occasionally major improvements being added.

(By the way, your confusion between "1" and "I" is the exact reason why the letters "I" and "O" are not used in US military designation suffixes.)

(I've had a few hours in a Cessna 150K...)