This photo was taken somewhere in Tennessee around 1990. Ben bought the plane about three years ago.
The interior of Ben's son Paul's shop, Ohio Aircraft Interiors, located on Parr Airport (42I) at Zanesville. You can see the Mite wooden wing hanging there.
N4149E is one of several airplanes that Ben has purchased and restored over the years. He still has most of them.
Ben's Mite presently has a TT of 887 hours, while the time SMOH is 65 hours. The engine was overhauled at Nostalgair in Lantana, Florida.
The instrument layout is very close to the original VFR configuration from the Mooney factory, although Ben added a turn and slip indicator. The nav/comm equipment consists of a GPS which mounts on the instrument panel and an Icom hand-held radio.
Ben's Mite is flying again after two year restoration. These photos of the cockpit and interior indicate the care and attention that Ben and Paul gave to details, resulting in the Lindy award.
Click here to see the article featuring Ben and N4149E in the November, 2001 edition of Vintage Airplane magazine.
The Mite Site records show that N4149E was previously owned by:
T.B. Meadow of Albany, GA in 1969.
Jewel Massey of Indianapolis in 1975
T.W. Keen of Albuquerque, NM and Buena Park, CA from 1980 to 1985, when it had 628 hours on the engine and airframe.
Nostalgair Sky Adventures of Lantana, FL in 1994.
Some guy in North Carolina in 1998.
Photos courtesy of Larry Minch and Paul Workman