LeRhone 8-bolt 98-1/4" long propeller

[dheller]

I am interested in selling this old propeller that was given to me by a friend, now deceased, who thought it came from a Sopwith Camel (he had the entire airplane, with machine gun!). The markings near the hub are:

LE RHONE.
HP - 80.
RPM - 1200.

And the measurements are as follows:
Bolt circle diameter approx 4-3/4"
Bolt diameter approx 3/8"
Hub thickness 4"
Hub diameter approx 2-3/8"
Length 98-1/4"
Weight 22 lbs
Decals for Fahlin Propellers (see photos)

I would love to know the airplane it was built for, and the age, what is it worth, and how I can sell it. Thanks in advance for any information about this beautiful propeller.

Don

PS: I've done more research, and now I realize that this was for a Sopwith Pup. The single machine gun that was mounted on this aircraft is a Vickers 11 MM balloon buster. I have the machine gun, but it has never been registered with the BATF, and I am now trying to find a museum that would be interested in dealing with the BATF to save it from destruction.

[pmdec]

Hi,

As nobody seems in the mood answering this post, I will "put the feet in the dish", as we say in France: Is this a troll? Or did you think really this propeller may be from WW1?

[snj5]

I'm not a propeller expert, but my guess would be that this propeller was built for the Pup (the 80 LeRhone is correct) sometime after the war as a replacement.

See:
http://www.woodenpropeller.com/Sopwith_Pup.html

http://www.modernwoodenpropellers.com/fahlin.htm

[pmdec]

Hi,

.../... sometime after the war .../...

"Sometime after" has to be pretty long, as this Fahlin decal, if it is a true one, can't be earlier than 1962 ...

Regards,
PM

PS : Le Rhône 80HP has been fitted on many aircrafts, why Sopwith Pup?

[snj5]

"Sometime after" has to be pretty long, as this Fahlin decal, if it is a true one, can't be earlier than 1962 ..

Yes, exactly.
As for the LeRhone 80, it was a common engine I believe, and was standard issue on Pups. In addition to engines commonly being interchanged during and after the war, the LeRhone engines have been used on non-original replica Pups and other replicas.

[Rick B]

Also the machine gun is 100% Illegal and especially in the LIBERAL state of Cal you will be in big trouble with it. Turn it over to the police at this point before you do time. Rick B

[dheller]

This is certainly not a troll, I am a rank amateur in this subject. After recent research, I realized that the decals showed it to be a fairly recent copy. On the other hand, this propeller does not have the markings used by Fahlin, only the markings for the engine match, so I thought maybe the decals were put on later. I also thought that the machine gun, which is clearly WW-I, was from the same aircraft as the propeller.

As for the machine gun, I am in contact with a gun law attorney, who verified the lack of registration, and he advised me to either cut it up or turn it in to the police or the BATF, but there was a third option, that perhaps a museum could deal directly with the BATF to acquire it. He is currently contacting two museums that expressed interest. Sorry that this part is off the subject, except that it might have provided provenance.

So I'm still not sure. I thought all Fahlin propellers had the drawing or design number stamped, and this one does not.

[Dave]

The location of the stamped information is more consistent with a Fahlin prop, vs an orginal that somehow acquired Fahlin decals later. Early British and French built props typically had that information stamped on the side of the hub, not the root of the blade.

My guess is that it was made fairly recently, possibly using a French or British propeller to copy.

[dheller]

I thank everyone for their kind help, especially Dave. I am now reposting in the "Selling" section, with more reasonable comments.

Regards,

Don