A miniature removable disk drive that meets the CompactFlash type II form factor and interface specifications uses a composite sheet metal/plastic tub-shaped base for supporting the disk drive components, e.g., the spindle motor with attached disk, the voice coil motor actuator with attached read/write head, and the preamplifier/write driver electronics module. The composite base is a metal plate with a flange extending around its perimeter and a plastic frame that encapsulates the flange and surrounds the perimeter of the metal plate. The metal plate supports the disk drive spindle motor and voice coil motor actuator and is made of high magnetic permeability, low coercivity material so that it can form part of the magnetic circuit of the spindle motor and/or actuator. The flanges on the metal plate provide rigidity and allow the base to be fabricated by injection molding the plastic frame onto the metal base so that the plastic encapsulates the metal flanges to form the walls of the tub-shaped base. An electronics card is located beneath the metal plate and is electrically shielded from the read/write heads and electronics module by the metal plate. Top and bottom covers are attached to the frame to enclose the disk drive components and the electronics card. Because the frame is made of plastic the corners may be made with intricately shaped cutouts that allow elastomeric corner bumpers to be interlocked into the frame at the corners. The corner bumpers extend beyond the frame and the covers so as to provide shock protection if the miniature removable disk drive is dropped.