The Mooney TX-1 or Mooney MT-20 was a prototype American military basic training aircraft of the 1980s. It was a two-seat derivative of Mooney's popular M20 light aircraft, but was unsuccessful, only a single example being built.
| TX-1 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Training aircraft |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Mooney Aircraft Company |
| First flight | 1982 |
| Number built | 1 |
Design and development
editIn late 1982[1] the Mooney Aircraft Company of Kerrville, Texas flew a prototype of a two-seat military trainer aircraft, the Mooney TX-1. This was based on its popular Mooney M20K four seat light aircraft, but with side-by-side seating for pilot and instructor under a sliding canopy. It was an all-metal low-winged monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear powered by a single Continental O-360 piston engine driving a two-blade propeller.[2] The TX-1 was aimed at the basic trainer market, also being suitable for weapons training and light attack missions,[2] and so was fitted with four hardpoints under the wing.[3]
Mooney stated that they needed orders for 100 aircraft to launch production of the TX-1,[2] but these did not occur, and no production followed.[1] The prototype's aircraft registration was canceled in 1989.[4]
Specifications
editData from Airdata File: Mooney TX-1[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m)
- Wingspan: 36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
- Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)
- Wing area: 174.79 sq ft (16.239 m2)
- Empty weight: 1,800 lb (816 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 73 US Gallons (276 L)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental TSIO-360-GB turbosupercharged flat-six, 240 hp (180 kW) (take-off power)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 239 mph (385 km/h, 208 kn) at 16,000 ft (4,880 m)
- Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 kn) at sea level
- Range: 940 mi (1,513 km, 817 nmi) at 55% power, no reserves
- Rate of climb: 1,336 ft/min (6.79 m/s)
- Ceiling: Over 30,000 ft (6,100 m)
Armament
- Hardpoints: 4 with a capacity of 1,000 lb (450 kg) total[3]
See also
editRelated development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Notes
edit- ^ a b "BERNHARD C.F. KLEIN COLLECTION: Mooney MT20 TX-1 (N231TM)". 1000aircraftphotos.com. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
- ^ a b c d Air International August 1983, pp. 101–102.
- ^ a b Flight International 3 August 1985, p.56
- ^ FAA Registry – Aircraft – N-Number Results: N231TM has Assigned/Multiple Records. Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
References
edit- "Airdata File: Mooney TX-1". Air International, August 1983, Vol 25 No 2. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 100–101.
- Beavis, Simon. "Military Aircraft of the World". Flight International, 3 August 1985, pp. 29–83.