In 1952, Cessna introduced the all-metal, four-place Model 180, the first Cessna with a squared-off vertical stabilizer rather than a rounded one. The aircraft was intended as a higher-performance follow-on to the popular Model 170 and priced lower than the Model 190/195-series. Cessna incorporated its Para-Lift flap system (large, slotted, semi-Fowler flaps like the ones used on the L-19/O-1 Bird Dog), spring steel landing gear and a steerable tailwheel in the new aircraft. The designers chose the horizontally opposed, 225-horsepower, six-cylinder Continental O-470-A engine and a two-bladed, metal, constant speed Hartzell propeller. The Model 180 enjoyed a long production run, with the last Model 180K rolling out of the Cessna factory in 1981, after a total production of almost 6,200 aircraft.

The Model 180 was designed for aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the use of flush rivets on the leading edges of the wing and on the engine cowling, as well as the incorporation of cowl flaps, wheel fairings, a flush-mounted carburetor air inlet, and an adjustable horizontal stabilizer (to reduce drag at cruise airspeeds). Cessna designed a larger rudder and vertical stabilizer and added a dorsal fin to preclude excessive yaw angles in cruising flight. The heavier engine required a more powerful elevator to offset its weight and ensure satisfactory three-point landings. Cessna used rubberized fuel bladders in the wings, as were being routinely used in larger military and commercial aircraft. However, when the bladders aged, they tended to wrinkle and interfere with fuel flow to the tank outlets. As William Thompson notes in Cessna, Wings for the World, "In hindsight, one would have to say that the continuation of aluminum tanks until wet-wing technology was perfected would have been a better choice."

William Thompson completed the first flight of the Model 180 prototype on 26 May 1952 by William Thompson…but not until the rudder cables were reversed. They had been installed backwards and created a bit of excitement in the initial taxi attempt. The big engine in the little aircraft resulted in very high vibration and noise levels. Numerous changes were made during initial flight testing to reduce these levels—such as shortening the propeller, installing improved crankshaft dampeners, redesigning the muffler, adding insulation under the aluminum skin and beneath the upholstery, thickening the windows, and improving the door seals.

Between 1962 and 1970, the USAF purchased 17 Model 180E and Model 180H aircraft "off the shelf" to be provided to several foreign countries under the Military Assistance Program (MAP). By that time, the engine had been changed to the 230-horsepower Continental O-470-R, boosting maximum speed from 165 MPH to 170 MPH. The only change from the basic civilian aircraft for these military contracts was the military exterior paint scheme. The USAF purchased eight aircraft in 1962 and three each in 1966, 1967, and 1970. The following Cessna constructor numbers and USAF serial numbers were assigned to these military Model 180s, designated U-17C by the military…