Cessna Airmaster

Airmaster
	A C-165 Airmaster in May 2006
Role	Civil aircraft
Manufacturer	Cessna
First flight	August 19, 1934
Introduction	1930s
Number built	183

The Cessna Airmaster, is a family of single-engined aircraft manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company. The Airmaster played an important role in the revitalization of Cessna in the 1930s after the crash of the aviation industry during the Great Depression.^[2]

Development

Initial model

In the mid-1930s, nearing the end of the Great Depression, the American economy began to slowly strengthen.^[2] Dwane Wallace (founder Clyde Cessna's nephew who was a recent college graduate in aeronautical engineering) decided to assist his uncle and cousin, Eldon Cessna (Clyde's son), in building more modern airplanes for Cessna Aircraft. The design of the first Airmaster is credited to Wallace, and the first flight of the C-34 model was in June 1935.^[3] Not long after introduction of the C-34, Clyde Cessna retired from the aircraft industry, leaving the company to his nephew.

Later models

The original Airmaster, the C-34, evolved into more advanced versions of the Airmaster. The C-37 had a wider cabin, improved landing gear and electric flaps. The C-38 had a taller vertical tail, curved main gear legs and a landing flap under the fuselage.^[3] Changes common to both the C-37 and C-38 included wider fuselages and landing gear along with rubber engine mounts to hold the 145 hp (108 kW) Warner Super Scarab engine.^[2] The final revisions of the C-34 were the C-145 and the C-165, of which 80 were built. On these models, the belly flaps added on the C-38 were removed and the overall length of the fuselage was increased. The only difference between the C-145 and C-165 was the engine horsepower, with the latter having an upgraded 165 hp (123 kW) Warner engine.^[2]

End of the line

It was with the beginning of World War II that the Airmaster line came to an end. The welded tubular fuselage, fabric-covered body, extensive woodwork, wooden wings and radial engines, all characteristic of 1930s-era aircraft technology, became too expensive and slow to produce.^[2] The old-style aircraft was quickly replaced with aircraft constructed from aluminium with strut braced wings first seen in the Cessna 120.

Design

The design of the C-34 incorporates characteristics that were borrowed from previous models of Cessna Aircraft. These similarities include the high mounted cantilever wing and the narrow design of the cabin windows.^[2] The wings and tail surfaces were composed entirely of wood while the fuselage was structured with steel tubing coupled with wooden stringers and formers.^[2] Both C-145 and C-165 models were offered with floats.^[4]

Variants

C-34: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine; 42 built.
C-37: Cabin widened by 12.7 cm (5 in), fitted with improved landing gear and electrically operated flaps; 46 built.
C-38: Fitted with wide landing gear with curved legs, plus a taller vertical tail and a landing flap under the fuselage; 16 built.
C-39: Original designation of the Cessna C-145.
C-145: Powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine.
C-165: Powered by a 165-hp (123-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine.
C-165D: Powered by a 175-hp (130-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine.
UC-77B: Two Cessna C-34s impressed into service with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II.
UC-77C: One Cessna C-37 impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942.
UC-77D: Four Cessna C-37s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942.
UC-94: Three Cessna C-165s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942.

Operators

Military operators

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force^[5]

Finland

Finnish Air Force

United States

United States Army Air Forces

Survivors

As of December 31, 2006, there are 69 aircraft in the FAA database with the listed Models (totals) being C-165 (30), C-145 (10), C-34 (8), C-37 (14), and C-38 (7).

Specifications

Data from American Aircraft Specifications^[6]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 24 ft 10 in (7.57 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m)
Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Wing area: 180 sq ft (17 m²)
Empty weight: 1,300 lb (590 kg)
Gross weight: 2,220 lb (1,007 kg)
Fuel capacity: 35 US gal (29 imp gal; 130 L)
Powerplant: 1 × Warner Super Scarab 7-cylinder radial engine, 145 hp (108 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 162 mph (261 km/h, 141 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 143 mph (230 km/h, 124 kn)
Stall speed: 47 mph (76 km/h, 41 kn)
Range: 550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi)
Service ceiling: 18,900 ft (5,800 m)
Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)

References

Notes

^ Phillips, 1985
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Cessna 165 Airmaster Aircraft performance and specifications". Retrieved 2016-08-23.
^ ^a ^b Simpson, 2001, p. 132
^ Phillips, Edward H: Cessna, A Master's Expression, Flying Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0-911139-04-4
^ Wilson, Stewart (1994). Military Aircraft of Australia. Weston Creek, Australia: Aerospace Publications. p. 216. ISBN 1875671080.
^ Aviation March 1936, pp. 84–85.

Bibliography

"American Airplane Specifications". Aviation. Vol. 35, no. 3. March 1936. pp. 82–85.
Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.
Phillips, Edward (1985). Cessna - A Master's Expression. Flying Books International. ISBN 978-0-911139-04-4.

External links

Article on the Airmaster
"Cessna's Past 'Masters", May 1974 American Aircraft Modeler

[1] Phillips, 1985

[pilot-friend-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Cessna 165 Airmaster Aircraft performance and specifications". Retrieved 2016-08-23.

[Simpson,_2001,_p._132-3] Simpson, 2001, p. 132

[Phillips-Master-4] Phillips, Edward H: Cessna, A Master's Expression, Flying Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0-911139-04-4

[Wilson-5] Wilson, Stewart (1994). Military Aircraft of Australia. Weston Creek, Australia: Aerospace Publications. p. 216. ISBN 1875671080.

[6] Aviation March 1936, pp. 84–85.

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v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-767B C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed

v t e Australian Defence Force aircraft serial-number prefixes
Italics indicate prefixes not used.
RAAF Series One 1921–34	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12
RAAF Series Two 1935–63	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 A26 A27 A28 A29 A30 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A37 A37 A37 A38 A39 A40 A41 A42 A43 A44 A44 A45 A46 A47 A48 A49 A50 A51 A52 A53 A54 A55 A56 A57 A58 A59 A60 A61 A62 A63 A64 A65 A66 A67 A68 (I) A68 (II) A69 A70 A71 A72 A73 A74 A75 A76 A77 A78 A79 A80 A81 A82 A83 A84 A85 A86 A87 A88 A89 A90 A91 A92 A93 A94 A95 A96 A97 A98 A99 A100
RAN Series¹	N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N9 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16
RAAF Series Three Tri-Service series 1964–present	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17/N17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22/N22 A23 N24 A25 A26 A27 N28 N29 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A37 A38 A39 A40/N40 A41 N42 A43 A44 A45 A46 A47 N48 N49 A51 N52 A53 A54 A55 A56 A69
Lists	Aircraft of the RAAF Aircraft of the RAN Aircraft of the Australian Army
¹ Prior to adoption of Tri-Service prefixes.