Paragon Propeller

[Jim Glaser]

I have a Paragon Propeller that my Dad removed from a dilapidated Spad, which he flew for a movie filmed in the San Fernando Valley during the 1930's. After the filming, he was offered the Spad VIII and a Pfalz DXII by the producer. He requested the propeller, because it appeared to be new. Both aircraft were in terrible condition, and were later burned and buried on location.
We were always told that it was a Spad propeller. According to the information on your website, I believe that it was actually manufactured for a JN4 with an OX5 engine. It is scimitar shaped oak with copper clad tips. It has eight bolt holes with 5 1/4 spacing, and a 2 5/8 center bore. There is the Paragon Baltimore logo on one blade. Stampings include S.C.7585, 8'3"x5.00, the SC clover, and what appears to be OX 2.
As the propeller does not display any wear or other evidence of having been mounted, I would assume that it was in new condition when it was placed on the aircraft for the movie. I am interested in knowing when this propeller was manufactured, and whether they continued to produce these after WWI?
Thank you.

[Dave]

The first clue would come from a very close inspection of the hub, looking for "witness marks" where the metal hub plate would have been compressed against the wood when the hub bolts were torqued down. Absent those it's most likely that the propeller was a surplus item that had never been mounted, as thousands of them were sold in the 1920s (for $2 each, $3 with metal sheathing). I suppose it's possible your Dad was simply given one of those instead, or it may be that they used some kind of SPAD like airplane that used an OX5 engine.

Can you find out more about the planes used in the movie? I don't think that I've seen a markedly scimitar shaped prop on a SPAD, which used a Hisso engine (with an entirely different hub) with some version having a geared engine which then used a left had threaded propeller.