Info on 1941 S & S Winnipeg Propeller for a Kinner B5 Engine

[ElaineB]

Hi There, We were given this prop a few years ago (it was found it in a dump or landfill). It's such a beautiful piece and we really don't know anything about it. We are hoping that someone could shed a little light on its history. It looks like it was involved in a crash (and likely why it was in a landfill/dump). From the markings it was manufactured by S&S Winnipeg in 1941 and was made for a Kinner B5 engine.

I've attached a few pictures and can provide more if that would help. Any details anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Dbahnson]

S&S Propellers turn up often on this forum. You might try the search feature to read some of them, but I don't think yours will be easy to identify without a model number stamped on it. However, if it was manufactured in 1941 it was early in their production line so it might be possible to find that they only made one model for the Kinner B5 engine.

It's a rare example of one in that it's obviously been used and as you note, been in a crash. There are lots of S&S props in almost new condition because they were manufactured in huge numbers during WW2 then became obsolete in large numbers. It actually makes for a nice display prop because it has a little more history to it than the surplus ones. (It's best to leave it in its present condition.)

Try looking through these threads for more information.

[ElaineB]

Thanks for your response. I did go through a bunch of posts about S&S props on this forum yesterday but will check out your link to make sure I didn't miss anything. Our prop is stamped with "DES.1242E" (see attached picture) but I'm not sure if that's the same as a model number.

[Dbahnson]

Our prop is stamped with "DES.1242E" (see attached picture) but I'm not sure if that's the same as a model number.

That's definitely the model number, also sometimes referred to as the drawing number, blueprint number, design number, etc. It's the key to positive identification, although that model may or may not have been used on several different aircraft.