Mooney M18 Memorabilia

[Kevin Harberg]

August 1955 Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men

Only 283 Mooney M18's built but generated enough interest to produce many items of memorabilia. This is one of the flying models produced.

[Kevin Harberg]

Here's a couple more models. (The rubber band flyer bares no resemblance at all to an M-18)

[Kevin Harberg]

This Mooney Mite O-lin Products Model Kit No 300 references "Plastic" model molded from polystyrene. (Post Bakelite era). Puts into perspective the era in which the Mooney aircraft was designed. Its 1946 design predates plastic! 

[Kevin Harberg]

"FRIEND OR FOE"  Early 1950's Topps Trading Cards (200 Total Set). This set of trading cards had a painted depiction of an airplane (based on aircraft photographs provided by New York Herald Tribune) on one side and a  "Friend or Foe" Quiz" on the opposite side, Condensed specifications were also included on the opposite side. 

This card is of the lighter weight Lycoming powered M-18L model.  (Later M-18C models were Continental A65 powered with 850lbs gross weight and max cruise of 143mph).

 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Kevin Harberg
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[carusoam]

Early 50s Topps Trading cards can be very expensive….

A 1952 card of a well known ball player is currently bidding on eBay at about $100k…

A few similarities in the layout… 

Best regards,

-a-

[Kevin Harberg]

Looked for a Mickey Mantle in the drawer with no luck, but turned up what appears to be another TOPPS Trading Card. This is the TOPPS JETS SERIES.

"Mite" is in quotation marks because Al Mooney only marketed the plane as the "M-18L/LA/C/C55" other than the 1953 models that were marketed as the "Wee Scotsman" to promote the aircraft's low operating costs. "MITE" was a nickname used by an airplane magazine contributor submitting a flight review. The name stuck right up until it became official on Jan 28, 1999 (US DOT N 7110.183). A very popular spray plane with the M-18 designator replaced the Mooney M-18 designation and the M-18 officially became designated "Mooney Mite" as far as the US Department of Transportation FAA, ICAO, NAV CANADA and Eurocontrol are concerned.

 

[David AD]

A 16" wingspan Mite model built from my own 'plans.' Rubber powered, balsa and tissue paper construction. Profile fuselage ("2D") is a feature of the "no-cal" flying model category.  I'll sneak in a pic of my M20C no-cal while I'm at it...

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard David!

Great pics of your awesome Mooney models…

Looks like a 1965 M20C…. Tail number very close to my old M20C…

I’ll let @Kevin Harberg know you stopped by…

Best regards,

-a-

[David AD]

Thanks!  Long time enthusiast and forum 'lurker'.  Had the pleasure of flying a club owned M20J, back when it was a new plane!