Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

WWII prop ID - please help!!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • WWII prop ID - please help!!

    Hi everyone,

    I would be very grateful for some help from any of the many experts out there.
    I have just acquired an old 2 bladed wooden propeller with a metal hub (very heavy at about 40kg). Its about 8' long, and has had a lot of use. From the seller I understand it to be a Rotol Airscrew from 1941 -ish. Possibly it was off an early Hurricane or Gloster. There are various numbers stamped on the metal hub. These include:

    BLADE 1 (with an upwards military arrow between the BLADE and the 1.

    1 TYPE N SR3012421 (The numeral 1s are upside down)

    SEP 1941? (these numbers are very faint so I could be wrong with this) No 73760

    RA13513

    I would be most grateful if you could give me some more information on this propeller, or point me in the right direction to find out more, as it would add to its sense of history. I would particularly like to be sure from which aircraft it came. There was obviously also some metal or canvas tacked to the leading edges as the copper tacks are still there.

    Many, many thanks in anticipation,

    Best regards,

    Tekling158

  • #2
    I'm presuming that by metal hub you mean that it's entirely mechanical and not just a metal hub still attached to a long wooden prop. If so, it's a variable pitch prop and I have virtually no information on those. Bob Gardner may, but another option is to go to this website and see if Monte Chase can help.
    Dave

    Comment


    • #3
      I don't have that number listed. It certainly looks like a Rotol number, in a series that described adaptors rather than blades, prop type or spinners.

      For any Forumite who doesn't know, Rotol Propellers was made out of the amalgamation of the prop shops of Rolls Royce and Bristol in the late 1930's.

      With kind regards,

      Bob
      Bob Gardner
      Author; WW1 British Propellers, WWI German Propellers
      http://www.aeroclocks.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks very much for the replies so far, chaps.

        I understand it is indeed a variable pitch prop (the 2 blades have been individually insertedinto the hub as opposed to one continuous piece of wood.), but the whole mechanism is completely seized up. Would it be a good idea to try and free it up, or is it best left to an expert, or even left alone completely?

        Thanks again for your help. Tekling.

        Comment


        • #5
          I'd leave it alone. As a display propeller it doesn't need to move.
          Dave

          Comment

          Working...
          X