PLEASE HELP me identify my propeller - "HISPANO.SUIZA.180.H.P"

[Ottsleming]

I would greatly appreciate any help identifying this propeller! Also looking for a value estimate..

The following is what is know about this propeller:

1.One side of the prop reads the following from left to right in a circle (as clearly as I can identify):

"HISPANO.SUIZA.180.H.P PART.N.O 067648 R.H.T.M OAK.PLATED.STANDING.RPM.ENG"

2.The opposite side reads (I'm barley able to identify the markings) what I believe could be:

"US 1427 X" or "US 1927 US" or something along those lines..

3.The dimensions are as follows to the best of my knowledge:

A. The hole in the middle is 3 1/8 inches wide.
B. The distance between any bolt holes from the exact center of the holes.(spanning across the middle) is 6 5/8 inches.
C.The total width of the entire main center area of the prop is 9 inches.
D.The widest section on the blade of the prop is 7 3/8 inches.
E.The total length from tip to tip is 104 inches. (8.7FT)

Also.. It looks as though there may have been some type of gold leaf or gold paint used on the lettering, or around the prop..

PHOTOS BELOW!!

THANK YOU!!

-Will Moench

[Dave]

Well, you've got the engine identified, but that engine was used on a whole variety of different aircraft. It might be hard to narrow it down to a specific aircraft.

Gold lettering was not used in the manufacturing process, so it's likely that someone has made an attempt to "restore" it, which knocks the value down considerably.

I'm just guessing, but the design looks like it may have been manufactured in the early twenties or thirties.

[Ottsleming]

Thanks Dave, I appreciate the response. I wasn't certain there was any gold lettering, so what I'm seeing is probably something else.. Hopefully some more info will crop up about this prop.

If anyone needs more information or pictures, I would be happy to provide them!

[Dave]

Often these props can't be traced to a specific model of aircraft. They are like tires - stamped with pertinent dimensional information but not specific to a specific vehicle, and there were thousands of models even by the end of WW1.

[Ottsleming]

That makes sense Dave.. Any guess if this prop holds any value? I believe someone took a look at it about 15 years ago, and it was suggested that it was worth north of at least $1K..but I don't know, that's what I was told when it was given to me.

What are antique prop values based on? Anyone..


-Will

[Dave]

Here's how I look at that. It's not worth $1000 to a knowledgeable collector based on the current information, but might sell for that to someone who believes it's worth more. Look at some of the crazy minimum bid prices on eBay, for instance. Many of those aspirations are based on seeing what "somewhat" similar ones sold for in the past. I recall a refinished Jacuzzi propeller that sold years ago for $12,000. I don't believe its market value was 10% of that, but I suspect each bidder figured it was worth at least the last bid, so they tried to outbid each other.

There's no question that authentic early propellers in original condition are highly valued now, especially when there is good evidence of the aircraft and engine for which it was manufactured.

See this tutorial on valuation.

[Ottsleming]

Your help is appreciated Dave, that fills in a lot of blanks! Thank you.

..So in all reality, this prop may; or may not be identified specifically. ..it could just be a lost dog. I am wondering though - since the prop belongs to a specific engine, I'm assuming the indentations on the prop from the engine wouldn't make a difference of what type of plane it was attached to; since we know the engine is a Hispano Suiza 180hp? (which was in many different models as you have mentioned before) ..And concurrently it wouldn't help identify a market value either I guess..

-Will

[Ottsleming]

Nevermind.. I just read through the tutorial thoroughly as you suggested, and it answered most of those thoughts.

Thanks again.

[Dave]

Yes, you can often identify the engine used (or at least exclude common engines that were not used) by the hub dimensions, since the hub was basically designed to fit that engine.

Unless the design number corresponds to a specific aircraft or the aircraft type is stamped on the hub (more common with British propellers) then you can only really guess at what airplane it might have been intended for, and it may have been fitted to several possibilities.