Mooney Aircraft, Inc. was formed in 1946 by Albert W. Mooney and Charles G. Yankey, both former executives of Culver Aircraft Corporation. The company soon marketed the Mooney M18 Mite, a low-wing, single-place, cabin monoplane designed for the general aviation market and involving extremely low operating costs. This collection consists of the original drawings and reports for the Mooney M18 Mite.

Mooney Aircraft, Inc. was formed in 1946 by Albert W. Mooney and Charles G. Yankey, both former executives of Culver Aircraft Corporation. The company soon marketed the Mooney M18 Mite, a low-wing, single-place, cabin monoplane designed for the general aviation market and involving extremely low operating costs. The M18 was awarded Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate #803 in 1949. Increases in engine power improved the performance of the aircraft, eventually giving the M18 a top speed over 140 mph and a service ceiling of 19,400 ft. Production ended in the mid-1950s as increased labor costs drove the price of the aircraft up to where larger, more comfortable aircraft could compete successfully with the Mite. In the mid-1970s, after Mooney Aircraft had passed through a number of ownership changes, the Mooney Mite Aircraft Corporation was formed to market the M18 as a home built aircraft.