The Mooney M-20 Series has been produced with three types of fuselage: the “short body” up to M-20-E, the “medium body” (M-20-F up to M-20-J) and the “long body” thereafter. The increase in the fuselage’s length can offer more room for the rear passengers, but at the price of some deterioration in performance. In July 2008 Mooney signed an agreement with Rolls-Royce in order to develop a version of M-20 equipped with a RR-500-TP Turboprop engine. The project was announced as a “marketing survey” and “exploration project” at first, but was soon discontinued. The first Mooney with real high performance, the M-20-E, was produced between 1964 and 1975 and was introduced on the market as Chaparral and Super 21. The M-20-E was essentially an M-20-C with a more powerful Lycoming IO-360-AIA engine with 200 HP. The turbo-compressor, that keeps the performance at an even higher level, is available as an option for M-20-E, F and J.
The aircraft shown in the museum has been equipped for IFR, (instrumental flight rules) and was donated in 2011 by Ing. Gianfranco Pattera.