This 1946 Cessna 140 Is a Polished, Practical, Antique ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Sleek taildragger with metal fuselage feels modern compared with Cubs and other rag-and-tube competitors of the same era.

Jonathan Welsh

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

1946 Cessna 140 [Credit: Scott MacDonald Aircraft Sales]

Key Takeaways:

The article features a 1946 Cessna 140 as "Today's Top Pick" from Aircraft For Sale.
The Cessna 140 was a key post-WWII two-place aircraft designed as an affordable "runabout" to boost general aviation, offering modern features like side-by-side seating and an electrical system.
The specific 1946 model highlighted is a handsomely maintained antique taildragger with polished aluminum, a comfortable interior, updated avionics, and is listed for $38,900.

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Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Cessna 140.

Cessna’s postwar lineup included the top-of-the-line 195, a large, powerful taildragger with a big radial engine, cantilever wing, and seating for five. It was a flagship—the flying equivalent of the period’s luxury cars from makers like Cadillac, Lincoln, and Packard.

This vintage taildragger sports a neat, inviting, side-by-side cabin. [Credit: Scott MacDonald Aircraft Sales]

But to drive realistic sales volume, the company needed something more like a Crosley or a Nash Metropolitan with wings.

Enter the 140 and its lower-priced sibling the 120. These two-place runabouts were designed to help satisfy a predicted boom in demand for GA aircraft that was sure to develop as military pilots returned to civilian life.

We could talk for days about the reasons why the postwar market never soared as expected. It did eventually take off, however. As more people gradually became interested in learning to fly, the 140 gained a following.

Old-school panel includes key communications updates. [Credit: Scott MacDonald Aircraft Sales]

Its standard equipment included flaps, electrical system, and extra cabin windows that the 120 lacked. The 140, which initially paired a metal fuselage with a fabric-covered wing and later adopted all-metal construction, seemed modern when compared with a Piper J-3 Cub or other competing taildraggers carried over from the late 1930s.

The aircraft for sale today shows off its polished aluminum skin and period-perfect yellow trim. Its interior is neat and comfortable, with the side-by-side layout that most passengers prefer to the tandem style of Cubs, Aeronca Champs, and similar competitors.

This 1946 Cessna 140 has 4,577 hours on the airframe and 210 hours since overhaul on its 85 hp Continental C85-12F engine. While its basic round-gauge panel appears largely original, it is fitted with updated equipment, including a Garmin GTR 225 com radio, GTX 327 transponder, dual push-to-talk switches, and uAvionix transmitter for ADS-B Out.

Pilots looking for a handsome antique taildragger that is among the classic designs that drove postwar general aviation forward should consider this thoughtfully updated 1946 Cessna 140, which is available for $38,900 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.