Rocinante (aircraft)
The Cessna 140 (and the 120, a stripped down model) are single engine, high wing, two-seat, light general aviation aircraft that were first produced in 1946, immediately following the end of World War II.
The 140s had fabric covered wings, fixed landing gear with a tailwheel ("taildragger"), and an 85 or 90 horsepower Continental 4 cylinder engine (Rocinante had the 85 hp version).
Production ended in 1950, and between the 120 and the 140, Cessna sold 7,664 airplanes in the five years that the aircraft were produced.
The 140 was replaced in the Cessna product line by the 150, a similar two-seat trainer which introduced metal wings and a tricycle landing gear (See Magic Carpet (aircraft)). The later 152 model was a response to problems with 80 or 87 octane fuel being used in the 150's Continental O-200A engine which was built for 100 octane fuel. The 152 was almost identical to the 150 except for a different engine, a Lycoming O-235. The 152 replaced the 150 from 1977 onward and remained in production until late 1985. The 150 and 152 were very popular airplanes for flight training and touring.
Mark Gravengood bought his 140 used in 1970; the engine had just been overhauled but the wing fabric needed to be replaced due to hailstorm damage. It hadn't been named yet.
In spring of 1971 he takes off on a trip around the country; at the last minute Jackie Archer decides to go with him. Their adventures are described in the book Rocinante.
