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First M20E on the brink of death

201er

By 201er
in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)

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201er Grand Master

201er

Posted
Posted

I heard from a credible source that Alan - Grim Reaper - Fox has his death sickle set for the very first Mooney M20E. It is the first E model and the first Mooney to sport 200HP. He's trading a flying C for the historic E and cash. And then he's going to chop it up.

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thinwing Grand Master

thinwing

Posted
Posted

I don't get it...after watching him chop apart that Mooney ,it appears they spend time removing low value items like side windows but make no attempt to save flaps,ailerons,elevators or rudders...I realize with the wing and aft fuse damage not all those components were good..but what appeared to be good aileron or flaps ,they stood on end bending these into worthless junk.Maybe he bid low enough all he wanted was engine and avionics.Still last time I priced a used flap..they were multi AMU...What good is a plexiglass side window installed with 30 screws once it's been installed!

201er Grand Master

201er

Posted
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Posted
35 minutes ago, thinwing said:

I don't get it...after watching him chop apart that Mooney ,it appears they spend time removing low value items like side windows but make no attempt to save flaps,ailerons,elevators or rudders...I realize with the wing and aft fuse damage not all those components were good..but what appeared to be good aileron or flaps ,they stood on end bending these into worthless junk.Maybe he bid low enough all he wanted was engine and avionics.Still last time I priced a used flap..they were multi AMU...What good is a plexiglass side window installed with 30 screws once it's been installed!

I think they removed windows because someone specifically asked for them, otherwise he wasn't planning on it. Alan would not leave a single money making part on that thing. They must had the kind of damage that would have made them risky or unusable if he left them on. Forget not, it was a crashed/totaled airplane and not just a sitting queen. When Alan butchers the first ever built E model that's been sitting, then there may be ailerons and flaps to show for it :unsure:

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Alan Fox Grand Master

Alan Fox

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, 201er said:

I think they removed windows because someone specifically asked for them, otherwise he wasn't planning on it. Alan would not leave a single money making part on that thing. They must had the kind of damage that would have made them risky or unusable if he left them on. Forget not, it was a crashed/totaled airplane and not just a sitting queen. When Alan butchers the first ever built E model that's been sitting, then there may be ailerons and flaps to show for it :unsure:

Yes the control surfaces were bad on the Tipton ship.... When the parts are critical like a control surface , They get scrapped if not 100% ....Also pre 65 airframe parts , are so plentiful , they rarely sell....

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DXB Grand Master

DXB

Posted
Posted

I saw an abandoned '64 E that an owner of a SE PA shop had claimed and was hoping  to bring back.  I admired  his courage, but it seemed like a colossal undertaking. I wonder if he gave up, and this is the same bird.  It was hard for me to imagine that plane would ever flying again.  

Alan Fox Grand Master

Alan Fox

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, DXB said:

I saw an abandoned '64 E that an owner of a SE PA shop had claimed and was hoping  to bring back.  I admired  his courage, but it seemed like a colossal undertaking. I wonder if he gave up, and this is the same bird.  It was hard for me to imagine that plane would ever flying again.  

Yes this is it , I convinced Ben to move on....He will soon be the proud owner of a C model...

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DXB Grand Master

DXB

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Alan Fox said:

Yes this is it , I convinced Ben to move on....He will soon be the proud owner of a C model...

That's actually great news folks. No need to shed a tear - that bird looked dead long before Alan got to it.  Upside is that there will now be an old C model getting revitalized by Ben with the most tricked out avionics imaginable.  

Shadrach Grand Master

Shadrach

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, N601RX said:

It was likely used for flight testing or static load testing. 

Flight testing and static load testing for a 20hp bump with little to no change to the airframe? Is/was the certification process really that over reaching?  I just assumed they had several airframes they used as test beds and the engines were swapped as needed.  I read that they tested the airframe with up to 250hp before 1970.

prflyer Collaborator

prflyer

Posted
Posted

I agree this is a sad looking Mooney, but I was hoping Ben would bring it back.  He at least had it inside the hangar when I saw it a couple of years ago, but he did tell me it sat outside for many years.

I'm sure the C model will have some great avionics . . . Ben does very nice work.

Fernando

 

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