Help identifying 120 inch wood propeller

[dr.scott]

Trying to identify a 120 inch Wood Propeller.

This propeller has 8 bolt holes, a hub diameter of 11 inches and a shaft hole diameter of 3 inches. I’m guessing my father got it as a teen about 70 years ago in the mid-west of the United States.

It bears some numbers and names I want to research. On the hub there are 3 lines which read
0448
DR. NO. 34891
SC 60432

On the side of the hub, written around the center are:
20 101 8
C
and below that, the first letters are faint, what I believe is HICKOCK FIELD. I think there is an airport which was once Hickock and has since been renamed. By the light weight and size of the prop I have always suspected it to be from a dirigible.

From other information on this terrific site I gather it is probably a Curtis and the SC refers to the signal corps. Beyond that I haven't established much.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Scott

[Dave]

How clearly stamped are the numbers? There is a model 34291 that is 10 feet and was used on a DH9 with a Liberty engine. Yours sounds like it's got a Liberty sized hub.

[dr.scott]

Dave you are psychic!

I was able to use my photo software to zoom in on the numbers and darned if it wasn't 34291 just like you speculated. So the DH9 is a DeHavilland I'm guessing.

Do you have any more info on the 34291's?

Thanks so much!
Scott

[Dave]

I don't really have much more than that. THe information comes from an information circular from McCook Field dated January 10th, 1919, and just lists "Propellers Considered the Best at this Date for the Planes Shown". The aircraft is listed as a USD9A (DH9) with a LIberty 12A engine. The RPM is listed at 1475.

Thousands of propellers were considered surplus in the early twenties and were sold for a few dollars through various pathways at about that time.

[dr.scott]

DH4 or DH9

Dave:

Thanks for your insights. I searched a few places and based on the markings of McCook Field it looks like it may actually have been made for the DH4. My father was from Indiana so I suspect McCook was somewhere nearby. I sure thought it said Hickock.

Thanks again,
Scott

[Dave]

Seems logical that "HICKOCK" may actually be "MCCOOK" if it's not very legible. It's certainly possible that it was used on a DH4 as well, although the specified propeller on this list for the DH4 is only 9'2", at least with the Liberty engine, so I'd think the DH9 was certainly more likely.