Packard Piano Company 100" Prop

[gordonpagecolor]

Does anyone have information on a Packard Piano Company made 100" wooden propeller? This has a metal hub insert and looks like it was never on a plane. Someone put old varnish on it, so it is difficult to see everything, but does say OX-5 and 8' 4", along with a Signal Corps number- SC56059. There is also a Part Number that is difficult to read- 8700??

Any help on identification, historic application is greatly appreciated!

[Dbahnson]

All you can know for sure is that is was designed to be used on an OX5 engine. The Signal Corps ("SC") number doesn't trace it to a specific plane, at least with any database that's currently available. The size is consistent with a lot of different aircraft, including the JN4.

During the latter part of WW1 there was a high demand for wooden propellers, and many furniture and piano companies were quick to offer production for government contracts. One company (American Propeller Manufacturing, or "Paragon") had produced 25,000 wooden propellers by the end of WW1. Many of those were sold off as surplus in the 1920s, typically for $2 or $3 depending on whether they had metal sheathing or not.