The Cessna 120 and the Cessna 140 are single engine, two-seat, light general aviation aircraft that were first produced in 1946, just following the end of World War II. Production ended in 1950, and was later succeeded by the Cessna 150, a similar two-seat trainer which introduced a tricycle gear. Between the 120 and the 140, Cessna sold 7,000 airplanes in the five years that the aircraft were produced.

Cessna 140
The Cessna 140 was originally equipped with an 85 or 90 horsepower (63 or 67 kW) Continental horizontally-opposed, aircooled, four-cylinder piston engine. This model has a metal fuselage and fabric wings with metal control surfaces. The larger Cessna 170 was essentially a four seat 140 with a more powerful engine.

Cessna 140A
The final variant of the Cessna 140 was the 140A which had a standard Continental C-90 engine producing 90 hp (67 kW), aluminum covered wings and a single strut replacing the dual "V" struts and jury struts fitted on earlier models.

Cessna 120
The Cessna 120 was an economy version of the 140 produced at the same time and intended for the flight training market. It had the same engine as the 140, but did not have wing flaps. The cabin "D" side windows and electrical system (radios, lights, battery and starter) were optional.