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Can someone explain what the circle found on the propeller ( AID 1M 42)
Means ?
http://woodenpropeller.com/forumvB/p...&pictureid=321
Means ?
http://woodenpropeller.com/forumvB/p...&pictureid=321
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The letters AID refer to the Aeronautical Inspection Department which examined propellers, both during manufacture and on completion, for airworthiness. Its presence dates your prop to 1917 or 1918 and suggests that the manufacture of this Paragon Prop was subcontracted to Canada and that it was made for the USN.
In brief, for this story is described elsewhere on this forum, when America entered WW1 in April 1917 the American aviation industry was not in the least prepared. It had not evolved as rapidly as European aviation where warfare had proved a powerful catalyst.
The USN appealed to the British Royal Navy for assistance and two British experts were despatched, Henry Watts who was the head of the propeller branch of the Air Department of the British Admiralty, and Dashwood Lang, a leading maker of propellers for the RNAS.
In short, Watts set up the bureaucratic structures within the USN for transition to a war footing and Lang began to organise the production of propellers. There were only a few bespoke and low volume American prop makers. Initially props were diverted from the British Dominion of Canada where the propeller industry was on a war footing. New orders were placed with Canadian timber firms. In a longer timeframe, within the USA, Dashwood Lang built a large factory on Long Island and also began to recruit timber firms and manufacturers of wooden artefacts such as pianos, fencing, furniture and advertising hoardings. The prime qualification required was a knowledge of mass production of wooden items.
The propellers made under contract in Canada were inspected for airworthiness by the Canadian AID. Henry Watts would have instigated a similar process within the USN, although I have seen no evidence that it was also called AID.
Should you wish to know more I describe this adventure in detail in one of my books and it is fully described in a 1922 publication by the USN, History of the Bureau of Engineering.
With kind regards,
Bob -
Thank you for the information, based on that time period this was a war time used prop Then ?
Any suggestion on the wood rot on one of the tips ?
ttp://woodenpropeller.com/forumvB/picture.php?albumid=70&pictureidComment
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The propeller was probably made in late 1917 and so was used in WW1.
The over-riding rule of conserving these early propellers is to leave them as they are, in original condition. If the prop is kept in warm dry conditions, the rot will not spread.
With kind regards,
BobComment
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There needs to be an "h" with "ttp://" and there should be an equal sign and some numbers after "pictureid". If you can fill those in it will show up as a hyperlink to your picture.Originally posted by Mohawk Mover View PostComment
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