Jim Jenkins locates a "Missing" Mite, N4118

At the Mooney Mite Site, we want you to know that when this sort of thing happens, we get a big lift. We very much appreciate the efforts of Jim Jenkins, C-GHIY, of Waquoit, MA.

[From and e-mail dated March 3, 2004]

Hi Dave, hope all is well with you. I had to let you know that I found Mite N4118 sitting in a run down hangar in Massachusetts, about 15 miles away from were I use to keep my machines when I lived in Connecticut. I was on a drive back to pick up my son from snow boarding and stopped to see if they had any old projects, etc. languishing around the airport. They mentioned that a Mooney Mite, of all things, was molding in the dreary back corner of a storage hangar (out back). Well, I'll be darned. There sat, covered with 2 inches of dirt and dust surrounded by tractors, carts, generators and junk, this long neglected Mite, N4118.

I found out the owner is Nick Davey, who has owned this Mite since the early to mid '70's. He had it rebuilt and covered back then and a Beech Roby installed. The Mite was flown a little and then taken to MA and put in this hangar. It appears to be in pretty good shape, though it has been sitting for years. I did a little e-mailing to see if it was available, and it is !! We need another Mite at Concrete you know!

Anyway, if Nick Davey gives me the go ahead, I want to go back and get the Mite out of the hangar, wash it good, pump up the flat tires and see if it will run, then check out all the woodwork & etc., hoping the mice did not do a job with their urine, which wreaks havoc with the wood and glue. It's been kept dry and out of the sun so maybe it can be saved, another to hopefully return to the skies again. It hasn't flown in almost 20 years.

I will keep you informed about what transpires. I happened to have my camera with me for a change and took a few pictures. I will forward them to you. I'll get them back from developing tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to Harold's Mite Ferry Flight to Concrete, most likely the second week of April.

Best Regards, Jim Jenkins.

[March 4, 2004]

Hi Dave, thanks for your note. It appears that N4118 is S/N 286, a 1953 M-18C. It was on your register, but is not in the current FAA registry. Nick Davey must have let the N-number lapse.

I was able to talk with him this A.M. He seems like a personable chap, British at that. He was very apologetic for the condition the Mite has fallen into. In talking with him, I was told much work was done during the 1973-74 restoration - a complete new wing for starters. It seems everything else was gone through also. Total time on the airframe is 980:00 hrs, 75:00 hrs since the restoration and engine overhaul and Beech Roby installation.

He claims the engine was upgraded to A-75 specs at O/H. The fit and finish is on a par with my Mite back in Concrete, probably a little better, with so much dust and dirt on it the actual condition was hard to tell. I did get permission from him to go back and get the Mite cleaned up and running, pump the tires and do a good inspection. I'll do this next weekend. He told me it's been 5 or 6 years since he saw it last. According to the logs he was reading to me on the phone, it was last annualed in 1986, flown 1 hour and put in storage at this MA airport.

An ironic thing is, before his divorce in the late 70's he used to fly the Mite to Martha's Vineyard where he had a summer home. This is directly across the channel from were our airpark is presently located!! I'm sure he came into our strip here as we had 80 octane. Anyway, his utmost concern was that the Mite go to a good home. I reassured him that would be the case. I explained what is going on out in Concrete with Harold Hanson. By the way, Harold's Mite is tucked in a heated hangar in northeast Iowa, at a place called Decora, Iowa. I've talked with a mechanic there who says the airplane is well cared for and in a good safe place. I did get my photos back today of N4118 and they came out great, I'll send some out to you. I'll keep in touch.

The Best, Jim J.

[June 28, 2004]

Hi Dave,

I hope this finds you well. I thought I'd let you know that my son and I brought Mite N4118 to the Cape this past weekend. The disassembly of the wing from fuselage went fairly well and was straight forward.

From pumping up the tires and rolling the Mite out into the sunlight (first time in 19 years), giving it a good washing, and then doing the disassembly, took about 4.5 hours.

I used my 20' car trailer for the transport. If there hadn't been a little rust in the cylinders, I would have flown the Mite to the Cape. It is really in great shape.

I left the tail on till we had the Mite in my hangar here on the Cape. My son, Drew, removed the tail assembly. Wow !!! There isn't much visible means of support back there!! Something to really keep an eye onwith these flying Mites. Most are flown at higher gross weights these days as the empty weights are higher and so are our own bodily empty weights higher!!

I'll send a few photos shortly [see below]. We will be trucking the Mite out to Concrete the end of the 2nd week in August, our last trip, yippy!!

Regards, Jim J.

19 March, 2004