This 1951 Mooney M-18 Mite Is a Diminutive, Single-Seat ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

1951 Mooney M-18LA Mite [Courtesy: Gary Franco]

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1951 Mooney M-18LA.

Here is an airplane you do not see every day. Indeed, you might never have seen one up close, as only 283 were built from just after World War II until Mooney halted production in the mid-1950s to focus on the more practical four-seat M20 series. Still, the M-18, known as the Mite, holds an interesting place in aviation history and helped set the tone for Mooney’s later aircraft.

The single-place M-18 was designed to fly quickly on very little power. It could reach speeds in the 130 mph range and was considered among the most efficient aircraft of its day. Some of the model’s fans describe its handling as fighter-like, which makes sense because designer Al Mooney planned on appealing to single-seater pilots returning from the war. He also wanted the airplane, constructed mostly of wood and fabric, to have extremely low operating costs, and it did.

However, the airplane was not a big money maker, in part because many pilots found it uncomfortably small. As a result the company developed the M20 as a more practical machine that could compete with other four-seat aircraft suitable for family and business travel.

This Mooney M-18 has 750 hours on the airframe and on its 65 hp Lycoming O-145 B2 engine. Its VFR panel features a King KX125 nav radio and King KT 76 transponder.

Pilots attracted to unique antique aircraft who enjoy flying solo should consider this Mooney M-18 Mite, which is available for $25,000 on AircraftForSale.

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