Help id 13. Foot prop

[KHARRIS]

This prop was in a bar for years, the story is it came from california someone told the previous owner it came off a dirigible (akron, macon, or los-angels) it is 13 feet long, the hub has eight holes with eight inches between holes at 12 and six o-clock, the inpression on the back of the hub shows a 10 inch diameter crank flange with half inch bolt holes, there is a set of numbers stamped in back of hub 29657. The prop is laminated and has a bras leading edge, any help would be appreciated,

[Dave]

It's a good bet they're on the right track. The hub dimensions are consistent with a Liberty engine, and I'd have to check information about those airships, but the size is not really typical for almost any conventional aircraft of that era.

The German insignia painted on it is probably all wrong, but likely added later by someone.

I once got a private tour of the Silver Hill facility of the Smithsonian years ago. They have a wall full of similar sized propellers, some even several feet longer.

[Bob Gardner]

All three of these dirigibles were of German design. Los Angeles was built in Germany by Hugo Eckener who owned the German Zeppelin Company so the prop might possibly be a German prop and, if so, it would be from Los Angeles.

Following the success of this airship, the US built two more Zeppelins under licence, Akron and Macon. I would guess that they had American made props.

Bob

[Bob Gardner]

After a bit of googling, I have discovered that the Los Angeles was powered by five German engines, Maybach VL-1 12-cylinder engines of 400hp each. These would undoubtedly have had German props fitted, probably made by Heine. Photographs show them to be two bladed. The serial number on this prop, 29657, is commensurate with Heine serial nos from 1918.

If you look carefully on the blades, you might discover an oval stamp, about two inches long, with HEINE stamped on it. Maybe the paint has covered it up.

It seems possible that your prop should be in the Smithsonian with the other props that Dave saw.

Bob

[Bob Gardner]

As a postscript, I discover that Akron and Macon were built in America by a team of German engineers from the Zeppelin company. They also used Maybach engines (of 560hp) and also had two bladed props but these were made by Hartzell and 16 and 18 feet in diameter.

Bob