AERONCA C-3

1934

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipović

Key Takeaways:

Introduced in 1934, the Aeronca C-3 was a two-seater aircraft derived from the C-2, featuring side-by-side seating.
It was produced in two versions: the enclosed-cabin "Master" and the open-cockpit "Collegian," which resembled its C-2 predecessor.
Production shifted to Britain, where some C-3s remain active, while in the U.S., approximately 17 still fly with their original 40-hp Aeronca engines, though many others have been retrofitted with Lycoming or Continental powerplants.

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The Aeronca C-3 was an offshoot of the C-2 Deluxe. Introduced in 1934, it was similar to the C-2 in structure but was expanded to accommodate side-byside seating for two. The C-3 was produced in two versions. The Master was changed to an enclosed cabin design. The Collegian retained the open cockpit styling and is easily confused with its C-2 predecessor. By this time, the production of both the engine and airframe of the Aeronca took place in Britain where several are still active. In this country, roughly 17 are still flying with the original Aeronca engine. Others in use have Lycomings and Continentals installed.