Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Four/five-seat cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

[Model 195]

One 224 kw (300 hp) Jacobs R755-A2 seven-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

The Cessna 190 and 195 series of aircraft was a large, very comfortable, five-seat, cantilever, high-wing monoplane produced by the Cessna Aircraft Company in the USA between 1947 and 1954. The prototype, known originally as the P780 (c/n 7001), and later known as the Model 190, was followed by a further four prototypes (c/ns 7002 to 7004), all Model 190s, and the prototype of the Model 195 (c/n 7005).

Both models had the airframe in common, and differed mainly in the type of power plant fitted. The Model 190 had a 179 kw (240 hp) Continental W-670-23 radial engine, and the Model 195, because of the larger and more powerful Jacobs R755-A2 radial engine, was 7.62 cm (3 in) longer.

Deliveries of production aircraft began in 1947, and two years later 15 were purchased by the USAF as the UC-126A, followed by five LC-126Bs for the National Guard in 1950, and three LC-126Cs for the US Army in 1951.

A total of 1,183 of this series was built, including prototypes. In all, four basic models were built and fitted with a variety of engines to meet customer requirements. In addition to the Models 190 and 195 mentioned above, the Model 195A featured a 183 kw (245 hp) Jacobs radial and the Model 195B had a 205 kw (275 hp) Jacobs radial installed. Fuselage construction was of all-metal semi-monocoque structure with metal covering, a door being installed on the right-hand side with a retracting step that swung out when the door was opened.

The wing was of cantilever construction with an all-metal semi-monocoque structure and covered with metal. Electrically-operated split-type flaps were inset in the trailing-edge. The undercarriage was of the spring-steel type and both models had a tailwheel undercarriage. There was also a separate baggage door. The baggage compartment had a capacity of 0.368 m³ (13 cub ft) or 91 kg (200 lb). Wheel pants could be installed, or Edo 3430 floats, and a few were fitted with skis.

The Jacobs R755-A2 radial engine provided 224 kw (300 hp) at sea level at 2,200 rpm driving a Hamilton-Standard variable-pitch, constant-speed propeller; and the Continental W670-23 engine provided 179 kw (240 hp) at 2,200 rpm at sea level driving a McCauley metal, constant-speed propeller. Four were fitted with 336 kw (450 hp) Pratt & Whitney Junior radial engines; one was fitted with a 429 kw (575 hp) Garrett turboprop; and one was fitted with a Soviet-built M-14P Vedeneyev radial engine.

A number of examples of the series have been registered in Australasia. These have included: a Model 195 VH-AVZ² (c/n 7284 – ex N4369V) first registered in May 1960 to Cliff Parsons of St George, QLD who imported it for charter work. It was sold and became part of the Airworld collection at Wangaratta, VIC until, after closure of the museum. Ownership was transferred to J W Parsons of Tamworth, NSW and it has been restored.

A Model 190 VH-BVD (c/n 7159), first registered to Rex Aviation in February 1957, later went to Madang Air Services in New Guinea. It then saw time with Darwin Air Taxis for general charter work, as well as air-freighting buffalo meat to Darwin, NT. After Darwin Air Taxis ceased business it spent some time with Rex Aviation. It then went to A C Stackhouse of Flinders Island where it was used for fish spotting. It was re-engined in July 1973 and became a Model 195. It later was owned by Eric Shipton of Brisbane and based in Queensland.

A Model 195A VH-MWQ (c/n 7549) was imported in 1990 but in March 1996 was exported to the United States. A Model 195 VH-ONF (c/n 7381) was imported in August 2000 and was based in Sydney, NSW with Mr D Friend.  A Model 195A VH-KES (c/n 7509) was imported in March 1993 and restored, named ‘Executive Sweet’. It was owned by Broomhead Aviation of Melbourne, VIC.

In early 2009 a further example of a Model 195 was imported, becoming VH-JTM (c/n 7752 – ex N1530D) to its owner in Western Australia. In 2010 two further examples were imported, a Model 195B built in 1953 becoming VH-VLD (c/n 16111 – ex N2126C) and being based at Tyabb, VIC; and VH-AAL (c/n 7129 – ex N3436V), which was originally built as a Model 190 with a Continental radial engine but was re-engined in 1957 with a Jacobs L-6MB R915 engine of 246 kw (330 hp).

Further examples have included a Model 195B c/n 7895 (ex N195RD, N3012B) which arrived in mid 2012; a Model 195A VH-ONV (c/n 16062 – ex N195WF) in Victoria; a 1952 Model 195 VH-KXR (c/n 7872 – ex N195BL) in western NSW registered on 30 November 2012; and a 1952 Model 195 VH-NWB (c/n 7877) in April 2013.

In November 2013 a Cessna 190 became VH-PEK (c/n 7574 – ex N9872A) to its owner at Albion Park, NSW. It had suffered an accident on 5 September 1999 in Alabama. Its registration was changed to VH-FNM in November 2019.

A Cessna 195 ZK-MWY (c/n 7706 – ex CF-MWY) was imported to New Zealand from Canada in 1987 but less than a month after commencing flying it suffered a power loss on take-off at Motueka on 18 January 1988, crashed into an orchard and was destroyed. Another example, a 1949 Model 195, arrived in New Zealand in late 2013, becoming ZK-BEB (c/n 7410 – ex C-GWEZ, N9331A) to BB Aviation at Feilding.