Mite of the Month, November, 2001
This month's featured airplane, N4096, is an M-18C, serial number 273, shown here with its owner, Winslow Jones of Glen Ellyn,Illinois.
Having become a fan of the Mite through the Mite Site, Winslow swapped his Piper Colt for the Mite, which Dale Johnson had just finished completely rebuilding -- aircraft and engine. Winslow flew down to Texas in March, 2001 to complete the deal.
Of the return flight in his Mite, Winslow wrote:
"I have now logged nearly 50 hours on it (959 TT) which included about 7 hours to bring it back from Seminole TX (tailwind), not bad considering that it took almost 14 to get there in the Colt (headwind).
"My visit with Dale Johnson was brief but good, he is a true gentleman and he sure builds a good Mite. This one is about as close to new as you can get.
"My trip home was a true adventure and as Dale told me, 'You will know everything about 4096 you need to know by the time you get it home.' He was right. By about the 3rd take off I almost quit my "aerobatics routine" while trying to get the gear up and settled into letting the airplane do what it does best -- fly and make me smile.
"I made stops in Childress TX, Weatherford OK, Stillwater OK, Sedalia MO, Quincy IL and the last stop at home at Lewis Lockport (LOT), IL where it has been a very popular addition to the field."
The Mite Site records show that N4096 was previously owned by:
Wilbur Tanner of Geraldine, MN in 1967 - 1969.
James Hardesty of East Orange, NJ in 1974
Glenn E Widener of Portales, NM in 1994.
28 October, 2001