Questions:
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2.  Cessna 172's are also called "Skyhawks" do Cessna 150-152's have a name too?

3.  What is the "Best" Model of the Cessna 150-152 ?

4.  Which Models of the Cessna 150-152 are the most plentiful ?

5.  Which Models of the Cessna 150-152 are the rarest ?

Answers:

Q.

 1. How many different models of Cessna 150-152 are there?

A:

Strictly speaking, in the eyes of the FAA, all Cessna 150-152's are derived from the same airplane, and essentially the same. Cessna made many changes to the airplane over its 27 year history, and like a car company, assigned different model designations to most years of production. Unfortunately, Cessna did not use a logical progression of either serial numbers or model designations. It is difficult to match up model years and serial numbers without a cheat sheet. See Cessna Production Trivia for more information about this than you likely care to know.

There were changes to the airplanes every model year (many of them cosmetic). We can divide the model differences into three categories: designation changes, cosmetic changes, and operational changes.

Models by Designation: Over the airplane's 27 year production history there were exactly 31 different model designations. The first model was simply called the Cessna 150, then beginning with the 1961 model year letters were added each year, 150A, 150B, 150C, 150D, 150E, 150F, 150G, 150H. In 1969 Cessna  skipped a letter, there is no "150i" but 150J instead. They continued on with 150K, but then used 150L and 150M for three years in a row each. In 1970 Cessna introduced the 150 Aerobat, and designated these models with a leading "A", with the remainder the same as each model's designation, A150K, A150L, A150M.  Starting in 1966 Cessna began assembly and manufacturing in France, for the most part these airplanes were the same models as in the US, but French built models lead with an "F", F150F, F150G, F150H, F150J, F150K, F150L, F150M. French Aerobats were designated FA150 and the model letter. One model unique to France was the 130 HP Rolls Royce/Continental equipped  Aerobat, which was designated the FRA150L, and FRA150M. The list is rounded out by two 1972-1973 models manufactured in France but assembled in Argentina (a total of 47 airplanes) These were called the A-150L and A-A150L. When Cessna introduced the 152, they stopped re-designating models by year. There are only 4 designations for all 8 model years of 152's. They are 152, A152 (Aerobat), F152, and FA152, the later two built in France.

Models by Cosmetic Changes: The paint schemes and interior appointments of the airplanes were changed every model year. Like Car makers, Cessna offered standard and deluxe models, and even special editions. Upgraded models were called "Commuters" and upgraded 152's were designated 152II's. Special editions were offered that promoted flying, included the "Discover Flying" model (popularly known as HoJo because it used 1970's era Howard Johnson's colors), and the 1977 patriotic themed "TakeOff" models. Airplanes built in France or exported had different paint schemes as well. All told there was a bewildering array of more than 60 different paint schemes. The Cessna 150-152 club has been gathering data on the original colors, layouts and model choices for several years now. We expect to eventually have a complete set of paint scheme drawings available here on the website.

Models by Design Changes:   Though there were dozens of individual design changes model year by model year, some operational, others cosmetic, (members can see an exact list of year by year changes.) there were only four instantly recognizable visual design changes.

1959-1963 Profile (fastback straight tail )

Between 1959 and 1963 the airplanes had a fastback fuselage and a straight upright tail like other Cessna's of the era. These are considered the "Classic" Cessna 150's.

1964-1965 Profile (Omnivision straight tail )

In 1964 Cessna introduced a rear wrap around window, called "Omnivision". 1964 and 1965 airplanes have Omnivision, but kept the straight tail.

1966-1985 Profile (Omnivision slant tail )

In 1966 Cessna redesigned the tail to sweep back, giving the airplane a "going fast while standing still" look. All Cessna 150's from 1966 on kept this same basic look.

The 152 uses a Lycoming engine instead of the Continental used by all 150's, and the new cowl has a narrower profile giving all 152's a slightly different front profile, (though the side profile is essentially the same).

There were many more subtle visual changes, the most obvious is when Cessna changed the main landing gear from flat steel to a tubular steel design in the 1971 model year. Another change was the landing / taxi lights which were moved from the wing to the nose, and back to a different place on the wing as the years went by. The control panel was changed in 1967 from a classic round top 1930's style to a more modern IFR rectangular top. Since the 1966 model was the only one with both the slant tail and rounded panel, it is the easiest to spot for astute observers, followed closely by the 1964 and 1965 models which have Omnivision and straight tails.
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Q.

2. Cessna 172's are also called "Skyhawks" do Cessna 150-152's have a name too?

A:

Not really. Almost all of the Cessna Models have both a name and a number, but not the two seat models. The 120,140, 150 and 152 never were given an official name from Cessna. Cessna named other airplanes things like Skyhawk (172), Skylane (182), Skywagon (185), Stationair (206), Centurion (210) etc. The closest Cessna came to a name for the Cessna 150-152 is to call the upgraded model the "Commuter" and the Aerobatic model the "Aerobat".

Cessna 152's upgraded to 125 HP by aftermarket STC are called Sparrow Hawks, but this is not an official Cessna designation.
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Q.

3. What is the "Best" Model of the Cessna 150-152?

A:

From a pure performance and capability standpoint, the French built 130 HP Rolls Royce/Continental 1977 A150M Aerobat would be considered the "Best" Cessna 150-152. Unfortunately, only 75 of this model were built, and most remain in Europe. A 1984 and later Cessna 152 Aerobat would be considered the second  "Best" Cessna 150-152, but this does not take into account pilot's preferences for style. Except for the Rolls Royce Aerobat, the Cessna 152 is the largest and most powerful of all the airplanes (by a slim margin) and of course the Aerobat model is the strongest and most capable of the airplanes (by every criteria except payload.)

It is more reasonable to rate the "Best" Cessna 150-152's by basic style. When we rate the airplanes this way, we can generalize that the later the year, the better. (with a few exceptions) We can divide the airplanes into four basic groups as follows:

1. Straight tail fastback's: 1959 through 1963 models. Of these the 1963 is the most capable and desirable. These are the most basic Cessna 150's, manual flaps, bench seats, and no rear wrap around window.

2. Straight tail's with Omnivision:1964 and 1965 models. Of these the 1965 model is slightly preferable, because it has individual bucket seats, instead of the bench type seat in the 1964 model. These are the last Cessna 150's with manual rather than electric flaps.

3. Slant tail 150's with Omnivision: 1967 through 1977. Generally, these airplanes were improved every year, with only one caveat. Airplanes after 1970 have the landing/taxi light mounted on the cowl instead of on the wing. Extra vibration on the cowl shortens filament life, so this is considered a poor choice. (Cessna finally moved the lights back to the wing in 1984.) Improvements to this range of models include: A larger, standard format panel introduced in 1967, Tubular landing gear in 1971, vertical stabilizer and rudder made more effective in 1975. The last 150, the 150M had all these (and also the cowl mounted lights). The Aerobat was introduced in 1970, all Aerobats would be considered  more desirable than their equivalent standard model. A 130HP Rolls Royce /Continental equipped 150 Aerobat was produced in France between 1972 and 1977, (a total of 216 airplanes) these are the highest performance airplanes of all Cessna 150-152's.

4. 152's: All essentially the same, with incremental improvements. Like the 150, the Aerobat would be "Best". Both 1984 and 1985 models have the landing/taxi lights in the more desirable wing location.
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Q.

4. Which Models of the Cessna 150-152 are the most plentiful ?

A:

Of all the Cessna 150-152 models, the 1966 model year is the most plentiful, 3,067 1966 Cessna 150's were produced. This was the first year of the slant tail, the larger baggage area, and electric flaps. During the airplane's 27 year history, the years of 1966 through 1978 were the "good times"  for Cessna sales, more than two thirds of all Cessna 150-152's were built during this 12 year period. 1978 was the first model year of the Cessna 152, and the most 152's were produced that year, 2,812. Each year production of the 152 declined, until the last model year (1986) when only 25 were produced (all in France, US production stopped in 1985, with 116 airplanes produced.)
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Q.

5. Which Models of the Cessna 150-152 are the rarest ?

A:

Only two A152 Aerobats were built world wide in 1984, (both in the US) making them the most rare of all Cessna 150-152’s. Both airplanes are still flying!

Serial #A1521026 was originally registered in the US as N758ZB, it was exported to South Africa in March of 1992 where it is now registered as ZS-NFD.

Serial #A1521027,  N758ZC, is registered in Sebastian, Florida.
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