Original display of N-numbers - 1948

[Fearless Tower]

Anyone have details on how the original 1948 170's were marked leaving the factory?

Were they N12345 or NC12345? Also, did the 48's have the N-numbers displayed on the wings?

Apparently 1948 was the year that the CAA dropped the C from the registration numbers.

[GAHorn]

NC2549V was a '48 and had the "C" as noted. Yes, painted also on the wings, upper right, lower left.
I'l scan a pic and post it.

[Fearless Tower]

NC2549V was a '48 and had the "C" as noted. Yes, painted also on the wings, upper right, lower left.
I'l scan a pic and post it.

Great - thanks George!

[GAHorn]

Click on the pic to ENLARGE...and also note it had the original LMF trailing-wire comm antenna through the upper rudder.

NC2549V.JPG

[Fearless Tower]

That's green right!

[GAHorn]

All joking aside, I think that particular one red. The colors for '48 were two choices:

Exterior: Insignia Red with Dark India Interior Trim, and Interior Base-color of Silver French Grey. Seats would be Barkweave Brown, Headliner was Bridgeport Brown, with Brown carpet.

Exterior: Cessna Metallic Green with Cessna Blue/Green Interior Trim, Interor Base-color Silver French Grey. Seats were
Barkweave Green, Headliner was Bridgeport Green and Green carpet.

(I've never actually seen a green headliner. The only 48 I've seen with what I believed to be original green paint/interior had a brown headliner.)

[3958v]

Only the earliest 48s had the NC numbers. My 48 SN 18277 did not have the NC from the factory. I know this because the original paint layout was clearly visable when I stripped the paint. Some who have latter serial numbers have restored their planes and put the NC numbers on but I chose not to do so because it was not original. We all know that original is the best way to go according to George Mort Brown told me that all the ragwings had black numbers on the wings. The numbers on the tail were 4" size. Bill K

[Fearless Tower]

Only the earliest 48s had the NC numbers. My 48 SN 18277 did not have the NC from the factory. I know this because the original paint layout was clearly visable when I stripped the paint. Some who have latter serial numbers have restored their planes and put the NC numbers on but I chose not to do so because it was not original. We all know that original is the best way to go according to George Mort Brown told me that all the ragwings had black numbers on the wings. The numbers on the tail were 4" size. Bill K

Interesting...mine (or soon to be mine) is SN 18315, so I imagine it would not have had the NC if 277 didn't. I was assuming it did since (according to the FAA historian) the C was officially dropped from the displays on 31 December 1948.

You mentioned that the wing numbers were black - what color did they use on the tail - the trim color or black as well?

[3958v]

I do not have any information on the color of the tail #. I assumed since they would be spraying the stripes they would probably mask off the tail# and the "Cessna bird" at the same time and spray in one shot. That is what I did. If you are going with the original paint layout there is also a Cessna logo and a 170 design on the cowling under the propeler. One final thing which I did not put on my restoration were the words "no lift" stenciled or painted on the most forward part of the horizontal stab next to the left side of the fusealage. Bill K

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

For some reason, probably because Duane Shockey's '48 is blue, that the '48s came in blue or red. I'll have to mark him down more next time I judge it.

[DWood]

I know what the original 48 colors are supposed to be but I think that Cessna might used other materials in some of the 48's. My project s/n 18041 had some real ugly thick vinyl red and black material on the seats and side walls. One night i was wondering what was under it and I found the original material for the seats and side walls. The material is a canvas like vinyl and is red and white in color. I will have to check my work laptop for the sidewall material. I am not sure that I will want to go this original. Picrure is of the rear seat back and all others were the same.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Dan, your '48 is Blue. It isn't an original color?

[DWood]

Bruce:
Actually both of my 48's were originally red and the one that is flying was painted green back in the 70's. A far as I know, blue wasn't used originally.
Here is a photo of my green one when it lived in Iowa during the mid 70's.

[DWood]

NC2549V is now used as N2549V per FAA data base.

N-number : N2549V
Aircraft Serial Number : 177RG0612
Aircraft Manufacturer : CESSNA

Any idea what s/n (or better manufacture date) NC2549V was when it was a 170?

I have 2537V s/n 18041
I see 2536V is s/n 18105
2597V is s/n 18102

[GAHorn]

NC2549V is now used as N2549V per FAA data base.

N-number : N2549V
Aircraft Serial Number : 177RG0612
Aircraft Manufacturer : CESSNA

Any idea what s/n (or better manufacture date) NC2549V was when it was a 170?

I have 2537V s/n 18041
I see 2536V is s/n 18105
2597V is s/n 18102

Believed to have been SN 18053 (deregistered/written off).