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ANSWERS: TEST YOUR MOONEY KNOWLEDGE

Answers:

1. Crosley. The Crosley automotive engine was a liquid cooled, 4-cylinder, in-line engine which would develop 25 hp. In 1948 eleven Mites were completed. The crankshaft on the seventh Crosley powered airplane failed immediately after delivery. Al Mooney switched to Lycoming and all Mites with Crosley engines were retrofitted. Mooney delivered sixty-six M-18L Mites in 1949 with Lycoming engines.

2. M-18C. In 1953 there were ten M-18C Mites and twenty-two M-18LA Mites completed known as the “We Scotsman.”

3. All of the above. In 1958 Engineering Research Company (ERCO) sold the Ercoupe to Forney Aircraft in Ft. Collins, CO. Air Couipe of Carlsbad, NM purchased the Ercoupe from Forney in 1960. During 1963 Air Coupe sold the design rights and tooling to Alon Company of Wichita, KS, and Mooney acquired the Alon Aircoupe in 1967.

4. C-145 Continental. The M-20 prototype was powered by a Continental 145 hp C-145-2H engine and the first flight took place on September 3, 1953.

5. True. In January1960 Ralph Harmon joined Mooney as the vice president of Engineering and later was vice president of Engineering and Manufacturing. During his last two years with Mooney (1969-1970) he was president of Mooney.

6. a cowl chin. In 1964 the M-20E was introduced with a 200 hp IO-360-A1A Lycoming engine. It was the first Mooney with the fuel-injected engine. 366 M-20E’s were sold the first year.

7. In 1968, the M-20E was not produced at all.

8. a fixed gear. In 1963 the Master M-20D was introduced. The company made the landing gear non-retractable on the M-20C as well as a fixed-pitch propeller. Only 161 Masters were produced between 1963 and 1966.

9. Eagle Bill Taylor made the first test flights on May 17, 1947.

10. 1969. In 1969 the M-20C (Ranger), M20E (Chaparral), M-20F (Executive 21) and M-20G Statesman all had electrically operated landing gear and flaps as standard equipment.

11. All of the above. In 1968 the M-20C Mark 21 was renamed the “Ranger.” The price was reduced to $16,600. In consideration, the cowl flaps were fixed, the entrance step did not retract, and the dorsal fin was removed.

12. 10 inch longer cabin. In 1966 Mooney introduced the M-20F (Executive) which had a 1 foot longer fuselage and 10 inch cabin.

13. an all metal airframe. Beginning in 1961 (M-20B) all models were of all-metal construction.

14. ”The fastest gear in the west”. Promoting the M20C Ranger in early advertising featured a genuine Texas Ranger and claimed to be the “fastest gear in the west”.

15. Wichita, KS. Mooney Aircraft Inc. (the second company to bear Mooney’s name) was form on June 18, 1948 in Wichita, KS, by Al and Art Mooney, C. G. Yankey, and W. L. McMahon.

16. 1964. Refinements in the 1965 Mooney line included new rectangular rear windows that replaced the contoured windows in previous models and headroom increased with new contoured roof and headliner.

* “Those Remarkable Mooneys” by Larry A. Ball, 1998.