Hisso Propellor

[halekw]

Hello,

I am going through my father's estate and have an interesting propeller (which I intend to keep) and want to know more about it.

It is about 8' 10" long, is wood with the tips sheathed in metal (riveted with brass rivets) (about 13 inches of end totally covered and about 3 feet on just the leading edge on both ends).

It has 8 holes in hub. The markings are:

Decal (two in excellent condition: California Propeller Company, approved. Los Angeles, Calif.

Stamped in wood on one blade: Hisso 150 HP Ser. No. 2288

Stamped on wood on other blade: Des. No. 50 Pusher Cal Prop Co Ltd

It is in very nice condition. Can send photograph.

Any information would be appreciated

[Dave]

By all means post a few pictures. I've never heard of that company. Interested to know if it's a left hand thread or right hand thread.

[Bob Gardner]

Please add a couple of photographs of the decals please. I too haven't heard of this maker.

The Hispano-Suiza engine, of joint Swiss and Spanish design, was initially made in France in 1917 in 150hp form. It was a V8, universally called the Hisso. Few were made at this power. It was quickly upgraded to 180 and then 200hp. It was one of the most successful engines of WW1 and post war was evolved to about 400hp.

From the data, the HP suggests it was made in late 1917 and pusher usually indicates a pusher aircraft where the engine pointed backwards with a prop at the rear. The most common use of this layout was seaplanes or flying boats, which were all US Navy craft I think, but none of the markings on your prop are naval.

It is a most intriguing propeller!

With kind regards,

Bob

[halekw]

Here are 4 photographs (attached, I hope) managed to an appropriate file size. They are the decal (two of them on propeller), the two imprints into the wood and the entire propeller.

My father had this propeller since before I was born (1949) and I believe he got it in the late 1930's or 1940's, perhaps at an A & E school he was attending in Oakland, California.

Any further information would be much appreciated.

[Dave]

Well, it is a left hand thread, so on a 150 Hisso that was almost certainly a pusher application. Although a serial number of 2288 suggests that there were a lot of them made that's actually a low number compared to a number of propeller manufacturers. There were 25,000 Paragon propellers manufactured before the end of WW1, and they continued for some time after that.

[Bob Gardner]

The extensive brass sheathing also suggests a seaplane and thus a USN aircraft. I'll be out of town until 7 April. I'll check the prop diameter when I get back. A Curtiss flying boat is a possibility.

With kind regards,

Bob

[Dave]

One possibility is the Aeromarine 40, which had a "B" model using the 150 Hisso as a pusher. No way to be sure, though, without a bit more research.