Jump to content

Do I have the oldest M20C ever?


Recommended Posts

I'm sure someone has me beat. Or do they? Anybody that knows anything in the industry will tell you Mooney came out with the M20C in 1962. I however have a 1961 M20C. S/N 1951. Is there anybody that is familiar with the manufacturing history in the early 60s? Does anyone have a lower S/N than me? Haven't seen one. 

12976784_10153384636516333_7614535816968169455_o.jpg

Edited by BryanLight
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, pstone said:

Hi Bryan,

I have the first C model.  Serial # 1852.  Still flying.  Flew 1200 miles last weekend.

Pat

Thanks everyone! It did say on the website that the C model started with #1940. That would mean mine was the 11th built. Pretty cool. Also, according to that, you(pstone) have a M20B... I don't know!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pat, 

you are correct in the fact that you have the lowest serial number, but SN 1940 was the first C off the production line. your aircraft has an airworthiness date of 1963, with out all the proper documentation I would guess it was an older B fuselage that they built into a C model since there were only minor changes. check your airframe log book for the test flight date.

Brian 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some fun Mooney production history...

Special project planes appear to have been pulled from the line after they were given a serial number...

They are serial in one way, but not very serial in another way...

#1852 appears to be the first real M20C built.  Probably pulled out of the end of a serial line of M20Bs...

#1940 appears to be the second real M20C built.  But it is the first of a long line of regular production.

There are a couple of serial numbers that fall out of line, then come back.  There is probably a first 1965 style M20C that got a handful of updates to match the rectangular windows and fuel separator updates...

All this complexity came out of applying linear serial numbers to all airframes being built at the factory.  A few years later the C, E, F, and G were given their own line of serial numbers preceded by a two digit number to indicated the type of hull it was...

Fun stuff you only get with factory built airplanes...  a more or less full history about your plane as of the day it left the factory.  Not just a parts list, but a complete set of procedures followed, and equipment used, to build the plane...

Best regards,

-a-

Edited by carusoam
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, carusoam said:

Some fun Mooney production history...

Special project planes appear to have been pulled from the line after they were given a serial number...

They are serial in one way, but not very serial in another way...

#1852 appears to be the first real M20C built.  Probably pulled out of the end of a serial line of M20Bs...

#1940 appears to be the second real M20C built.  But it is the first of a long line of regular production.

There are a couple of serial numbers that fall out of line, then come back.  There is probably a first 1965 style M20C that got a handful of updates to match the rectangular windows and fuel separator updates...

All this complexity came out of applying linear serial numbers to all airframes being built at the factory.  A few years later the C, E, F, and G were given their own line of serial numbers preceded by a two digit number to indicated the type of hull it was...

Fun stuff you only get with factory built airplanes...  a more or less full history about your plane as of the day it left the factory.  Not just a parts list, but a complete set of procedures followed, and equipment used, to build the plane...

Best regards,

-a-

But the serial number of my 1970 C starts with "70-" followed by five numbers. I always thought that indicated a 1970 model . . . 

Edited by Hank
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, BryanLight said:

I'm sure someone has me beat. Or do they? Anybody that knows anything in the industry will tell you Mooney came out with the M20C in 1962. I however have a 1961 M20C. S/N 1951. Is there anybody that is familiar with the manufacturing history in the early 60s? Does anyone have a lower S/N than me? Haven't seen one. 

12976784_10153384636516333_7614535816968169455_o.jpg

Bryan,

Really nice paint job! Is that an original version or did you modify the original pattern?

Fernando

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, carusoam said:

Some fun Mooney production history...

Special project planes appear to have been pulled from the line after they were given a serial number...

They are serial in one way, but not very serial in another way...

#1852 appears to be the first real M20C built.  Probably pulled out of the end of a serial line of M20Bs...

#1940 appears to be the second real M20C built.  But it is the first of a long line of regular production.

There are a couple of serial numbers that fall out of line, then come back.  There is probably a first 1965 style M20C that got a handful of updates to match the rectangular windows and fuel separator updates...

All this complexity came out of applying linear serial numbers to all airframes being built at the factory.  A few years later the C, E, F, and G were given their own line of serial numbers preceded by a two digit number to indicated the type of hull it was...

Fun stuff you only get with factory built airplanes...  a more or less full history about your plane as of the day it left the factory.  Not just a parts list, but a complete set of procedures followed, and equipment used, to build the plane...

Best regards,

-a-

The cool aspect of Mooney in Kerrville in the 60's, to me, was the extreme enthusiasm for the product and what could come next.  I think that was great!

Those folks didn't wait for a new year model to make make positive changes to an airplane.  If a tech on the floor, or a draftsman, or a nighttime janitor had a good idea, that idea was valued, and if approved, it was implemented during current model production.

The R&D department appeared to be an extremely valued part of Mooney at that time.... the Mustang, the never to be H model I've mentioned previously, etc...... exciting times in Kerrville it was!!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/17/2017 at 10:37 PM, BryanLight said:

I'm sure someone has me beat. Or do they? Anybody that knows anything in the industry will tell you Mooney came out with the M20C in 1962. I however have a 1961 M20C. S/N 1951. Is there anybody that is familiar with the manufacturing history in the early 60s? Does anyone have a lower S/N than me? Haven't seen one. 

12976784_10153384636516333_7614535816968169455_o.jpg

I too, like the looks of your Mooney!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/18/2017 at 1:38 PM, BryanLight said:

Thanks everyone! It did say on the website that the C model started with #1940. That would mean mine was the 11th built. Pretty cool. Also, according to that, you(pstone) have a M20B... I don't know!

Close, yours (#1951) would actually be the 12th built.

#1   1940

#2   1941

 . . . 

#10  1949

#11  1950

#12   1951

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, orionflt said:

Amazing how many 62 Mooney's were built in 61

While interviewing Bill Wheat,  during the movie making process, there were several times he would comment just how many Mooneys  were produced during those glory days of the Kerrville factory.

Bill would chuckle at the amount of hours required to produce a current Ovation or an Acclaim, relative to the small amount of hours spent producing the 60s models .

He did recognize that the new airplanes were much more complicated than those from the 60s.

I would have to go back and watch the movie to see just how many planes he claimed Kerrville  produced in a given month in the early to mid 60's.  I do recall it was a stark contrast amount of hours between those early days, and the last production runs leading up to the 2008 shut down.

The Mooney workers at the factory in those days were so completely dedicated to the product.  

I still believe that those folks were a perfect example of the work ethic of America in those days .   Mooney,  it is a great American story!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, orionflt said:

Just knowing that SN 1940 has an airworthiness date of 2 nov 61 and mine SN 1993 is 13 Dec 61 it means they were producing around 2 aircraft per day!

Brian

Per Bill, and others we interviewed, aircraft daily production seriously increased after the conversion to the all metal Mooney, as directed  by Ralph Harmon ( creator of the Bonanza).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And if you read Harmon's account, he built the Mooney wing so strong so that it didn't mimic what had happened at Beech with the Bonanza wing he designed. He didn't want that to happen again (as we have seen over the decades). He said that Walter Beech kept having him lighten everything and Harmon felt this contributed to the loss of airplanes when the spar went south.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.