Old propellor identification

[austerj5p]

Can anyone help with the identification of a propellor hub.
This has been altered to fit a clock at some time, along time ago by the look of it. The markings say the following: A.D 578 R.H D3880 P.2050
G. BETJEMANN & SONS LTD B.8 574
The markings are reasonably clear and the best I can do.
Although I only have the hub, The propellor is two bladed with the hub measuring just over ten inches across.
Has anyone an idea of which aircraft it comes from.

[Bob Gardner]

Dear Auster-driver,

Your prop was made in WW1 for the Admiralty by the noted London firm of George Betjemann & Sons. The Betjemann firm was one of Britain’s leading cabinet makers in the Edwardian era before WW1, although the most famous member of the family was the poet Sir John Betjeman. They were recruited to make propellers in WW1.

I am delighted to hear of your prop. It is only the second Betjemann prop that I know of and I can add the details of it to my book on British WW1 props (at the last moment before it goes for printing!).

Your prop is not listed in any of the published lists of British WW1 drawing nos, nor are the dimensions that you quote, but I can make a guess about it. The letters AD in AD578 indicate the Air Department of the Royal Navy.

Incidentally could you send me a good photo of the hub that I could use in my book? The photo needs to be at a high resolution (>2mb), in focus and well lit. My e-mail address is aeroclocks at btinternet dot com (written in this phonetic form to fool the spam bots).

The diameter of 3880mm is extreme and about the largest made. A similar diameter prop is recorded for the Short 320 flying boat but its prop had a very different pitch (2600mm c.f. yours at 2050mm).

If D3880 is corrupted by wear and actually reads D3360 or better still D3280 then it begins to make sense. Drg nos close to yours have similar diameters and pitch to these.

AD 572 with D3280 and P2050 was for a Short 184 seaplane powered by a Renault 240hp engine.

AD574, D3360 and P2210 was for a Fairey Campania seaplane with a 275hp Rolls-Royce Eagle engine. But this prop was four-bladed. (Some four-blade hubs were reduced to two-blade hubs by skilled joinery to make them easier mementos to handle.)

It seems most likely that your prop is a later version AD572.

I look forward to your photos.

With kind regards,

Bob

[austerj5p]

Propellor Identification

Bob, Thank you for all the information.
The Diameter is 3280 as you thought.
I bought the hub from a boot fair near my home, within 8 miles from the Short factory at Rochester,Kent, so it all ties in.
Ten years ago, a local person who some woodwork at my house served his apprenticeship as a carpenter at Shorts building flying boats, and Shorts had a big influence in the local area around the River Medway area.
I don't have a digital camera but I will get my son to sort out the photographs you need.
I am involved in restoring old aeroplanes, building, making parts etc and flying air experience flights from Redhill. Go to Youtube, Dennis flying the tiger moth at redhill, and you will see an amateur video sent in by a happy flyer, (not an advert!).
Thanks once again for you interest

[Bob Gardner]

Greetings,

I am delighted that the diameter is actually 3280mm. I'll add it to my database as from a Short 184.

And I am more than delighted to have discovered a second type of Betjemann prop. I look forward to the photograph from your son.

Please tell me if you come across any more WW1 props. The data from them will greatly help my research.

With kind regards,

Bob

[morfeusz]

woodenpropeller plane

I' find plans for the construction of wooden propellers.Where I can find such ?

Sinclery
Piter

Dear Auster-driver,

Your prop was made in WW1 for the Admiralty by the noted London firm of George Betjemann & Sons. The Betjemann firm was one of Britain’s leading cabinet makers in the Edwardian era before WW1, although the most famous member of the family was the poet Sir John Betjeman. They were recruited to make propellers in WW1.

I am delighted to hear of your prop. It is only the second Betjemann prop that I know of and I can add the details of it to my book on British WW1 props (at the last moment before it goes for printing!).

Your prop is not listed in any of the published lists of British WW1 drawing nos, nor are the dimensions that you quote, but I can make a guess about it. The letters AD in AD578 indicate the Air Department of the Royal Navy.

Incidentally could you send me a good photo of the hub that I could use in my book? The photo needs to be at a high resolution (>2mb), in focus and well lit. My e-mail address is aeroclocks at btinternet dot com (written in this phonetic form to fool the spam bots).

The diameter of 3880mm is extreme and about the largest made. A similar diameter prop is recorded for the Short 320 flying boat but its prop had a very different pitch (2600mm c.f. yours at 2050mm).

If D3880 is corrupted by wear and actually reads D3360 or better still D3280 then it begins to make sense. Drg nos close to yours have similar diameters and pitch to these.

AD 572 with D3280 and P2050 was for a Short 184 seaplane powered by a Renault 240hp engine.

AD574, D3360 and P2210 was for a Fairey Campania seaplane with a 275hp Rolls-Royce Eagle engine. But this prop was four-bladed. (Some four-blade hubs were reduced to two-blade hubs by skilled joinery to make them easier mementos to handle.)

It seems most likely that your prop is a later version AD572.

I look forward to your photos.

With kind regards,

Bob