Any "Woody" Owners out there? (M20 & M20A)

[Bill Pugh]

Just bought my first Mooney . . . a 1956 Mk20 wood wing. I knew the previous owner and the owner before him. So, she might have been your "girl" at one time too, but she's all mine now. Just wondering how many of the "woodies" are still flying? I searched the enormous amount of threads and found a few posts from a couple years ago. Maybe start a new conversation? I received a whole lot of great info from the previous owners and have a pretty good network of resources. This particular plane (N5227B) has less than 2,000 TT, 250 SMOH, new interior and paint. Starting to get to know her and work on some of the important things for these old gals. Anyway, I'll share some pics. BTW, she lives where she was born back in 1956 (KERV). Airworthiness is signed by Charlie Dugosh!

 

Bill

[carusoam]

Nice pics, Bill!

We have a few around here. Many in good flying conditions and a couple of projects/parts donors...

Best regards,

-a-

[Bill Pugh]

Thanks! Looking forward to many discussions.

[BKlott]

What a pretty airplane!

[ValkyrieRider]

I see why you talk about her with pride ... it is deserved.

[carusoam]

Kerrville and a Wood winged Mooney...

Now that’s a combination!

Go Al Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[kerry]

I still fly a wood wing Mooney..  Your panel looks to good and modern for a 1956.  I like it.

[MBDiagMan]

I read a long time ago the Charlie would no longer put his name in a wood wing logbook.  It would be interesting to hear what David, Charlie’s predecessor has to say about them.

My C also lived in a hangar in Kerrville since she was built, and always maintained by Dugosh.  I expect that the dry climate of Kerrville serves the preservation of wood as it does the preservation of steel and aluminum.  My C is amazingly corrosion free after a hangared life in Kerrville.

She’s beautiful by the way!

Edited May 10, 2018 by MBDiagMan

[DaV8or]

18 hours ago, Bill Pugh said:

Just bought my first Mooney . . . a 1956 Mk20 wood wing. I knew the previous owner and the owner before him. So, she might have been your "girl" at one time too, but she's all mine now. Just wondering how many of the "woodies" are still flying? I searched the enormous amount of threads and found a few posts from a couple years ago. Maybe start a new conversation? I received a whole lot of great info from the previous owners and have a pretty good network of resources. This particular plane (N5227B) has less than 2,000 TT, 250 SMOH, new interior and paint. Starting to get to know her and work on some of the important things for these old gals. Anyway, I'll share some pics. BTW, she lives where she was born back in 1956 (KERV). Airworthiness is signed by Charlie Dugosh!

 

Bill

I believe you have the oldest Mooney and the only M20 on this forum. There are others here with M20As though. There is even one in Germany that has an A with the original wooden tail on it. That's pretty rare. In your case, obviously there has been a lot of panel work done, but is the rest of the plane stock M20? Do you have a metal tail, or wood tail? Is it the original 160 hp engine, or did they upgrade to the 180?

[kerry]

FAA Registry shows it has a O-320. I've heard a 150 hp M20 is very efficient flying airplane.  I've also heard parts are hard to get for the propeller.

[Bill Pugh]

Yes, I have the 150 HP O-320. She has a metal tail from an AD in the 60s I believe? Long story was that she was hangared for almost 4 decades (less than 2000 hrs on the airframe) and lovingly brought back to life by two owners ago. I found her in Georgetown, TX and both previous owners live there on a private field. FAA registry/NTSB accident database shows the sister ships (N5226B & N5228B) no longer around and have had accidents. I had experience flying a 1969 M20C years ago and she handles the same but maybe a fews knots (MPH) faster. Cylinder temps seem to want to creep up and I'm starting to figure out how to manage those. I've always heard Mooneys are tightly-cowled airplanes and temps can be an issue.
 

Edited May 10, 2018 by Bill Pugh

[MBDiagMan]

I don’t remember exactly what Dugosh was quoted about not putting his signature in a logbook.  It may very well have been that he was talking about the wood tail.  I remember him writing that he refused to do the pull test on the wood tail because it could begin a failure that could finish in flight.  It was not indicated in the article, but it might have been that he knew about a fatality related to the issue which caused him to be so adamant.

[carusoam]

Bill,

There has been much written about improving CHTs for the M20C’s doghouse styled cowling airflow debacle.

You May find some of the ideas covered may apply directly to your bird... at least in theory, if not directly...  many ideas on sealing up air leaks, new seal materials, and shared thoughts on climb speeds for Best cooling....

It all starts with having a good engine monitor.  If you go in that direction... add carb temp and FF for added Safety margins, if able...  

PP thoughts only. Not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

[DaV8or]

8 hours ago, carusoam said:

Bill,

There has been much written about improving CHTs for the M20C’s doghouse styled cowling airflow debacle.

You May find some of the ideas covered may apply directly to your bird... at least in theory, if not directly...  many ideas on sealing up air leaks, new seal materials, and shared thoughts on climb speeds for Best cooling....

It all starts with having a good engine monitor.  If you go in that direction... add carb temp and FF for added Safety margins, if able...  

PP thoughts only. Not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

He's got what he needs. He has fuel flow and a JPI 700. While no longer state of the art, it does give him all the info he needs to manage that engine.

[carusoam]

Thanks, Dave!

That is a powerful panel.

I must have got side tracked after I saw the Charlie Dugosh signed Certificate of Airworthiness... before the FAA even existed...

Quite the Modern Museum piece.  

@Bill Pugh, do you have the first log book for your plane?  The first page or two will probably have some interesting test flights recorded in it by some interesting pilots...

Thanks for sharing the details!

Best regards,

-a-

[mike20papa]

Congratulations on your A model purchase.  I own N8335E '59 model.  I have nothing but good words to say about Al Mooney's final AC design!  Looks like you also have the dual pipe exhaust - THE ONLY way to go on the 180 hp mooneys!   Best wishes!  Joe Philips

[Keith20EH]

Wood is Good!

[mike20papa]

Another Al Mooney signature design!

[BKlott]

You just had to do that, didn’t you! Just rip a guy’s heart out...

When my Dad was in the Army in the late 1940s, he was stationed at Fort Jackson, SC. At Owens Field there was a Culver Cadet for sale that he was saving up for, thinking that he could fly it home to Philadelphia on the weekends when he could get a pass. The month before he would have enough money to buy the Culver, someone else bought it, moved it to another part of the field and placed it back up for sale...at a significantly higher price. Dad never did get his Culver Cadet and neither did I.

9 hours ago, Keith20EH said:

Wood is Good!

 

[Keith20EH]

1940, Al Mooney’s first commercial design. Cont.A-75, easy 125 mph on 4gph.  blow the doors off of the cubs and champs. not for sale....yet.

[mike20papa]

Did you do the restoration?  I have always wanted to see how Al designed the tail dragger gear into the wing.  The simplicity of the leaf springs doubling as the scissor links  .. neat.

[autoalain]

Hi, m20a  1959,  I have added a pic, if you need any parts I have a bin full of stuff.   Mike  514-620-4900

[Raptor05121]

Wow, very few original M20s left flying. I would LOVE to hear what sort of numbers you are getting with the 150hp

[Greg Ellis]

Dave Morris lurks on here.  He has a 1960 A model.  Before Bill Wheat passed, he had him sign the oil access door on his cowl.  Bill was the test pilot that signed off his Air Worthiness way back in 1960.

[carusoam]

Bill Wheat probably reads MS... he is looking over your shoulder right now!  

He signed my 65C’s AW line in the original log...  as he did many others...

Yes, there is a thread around here where people posted their Bill signature from their log books...

Best regards,

-a-