Hispano suiza 150hp wooden propeller

[Gazza]

Hi, my wife’s uncle has recently passed away and we are in the process of clearing out and cataloging his possessions.We have come across a wooden propeller which we believe may have come from WW1. The propellor is in excellent condition and has the following markings which I am hoping someone can identify and give us some info and maybe a valuation.The markings on the boss are
Hispano suiza 150hp
No 61
D7
T28086
8 holes on the boss , also 4 lozenges with he AI number

[Garuda]

SE5 propeller

A very nice SE5 propeller! I have a drawing for a very similar propeller, the T.28066. The SE5 was one of the most famous WW1 aircraft. Its successor, the SE5a was infamous, and is still very well known and respected.

The 4 lozenges, as you described the are Aeronautical Inspection Directorate stamps. It is common to see them in blocks of four. Each has a different number, indicating which inspectors examined each individual propeller.

Regards,

David.

[Chris Lz]

Hi Gazza,

I've just joined the website hopefully to get some info on an SE5 propeller I won at auction. And would you believe it, this is the one. I recognise the red mark on the boss by the lettering and got it from Thomas Watson Auctioneers of Darlington.
Reading your post makes me think you weren't aware your wife's uncle even had it let alone where it might have come from, but any information would be most welcome. It has gone to a good home and will be well looked after.

A question to the learned members of this forum. I am trying to find out which company manufactured this propeller. It has no company logo but looking at the photographs of the period none of the SE5's had them either and as production of the type was so relatively limited I am hoping that only one company was contracted. Might it be French as the 150hp Hispano-Suiza was a pretty new engine back then?

I have tried to contact Bob Gardiner for any pointers and trying to buy some of his books but cannot get a reply.

Hope someone can steer me in the right direction with this.


Regards

Chris

[Dbahnson]

I need to look up that drawing number. It won't tell you which company manufactured it, but it does indicate the company whose blueprint was used to make it. Unfortunately, decals were often the only way to identify the manufacturer and in your case they would have been removed when the prop was "restored".

[Chris Lz]

Hi,
Further to my enquiry about possible manufacturers I went through my books again and found this in " High in the Empty Blue ". Again it is a guestimate to say my prop came from the same place but it might be the only pointer we can find. Can you tell anything from this?

And thanks for your time looking into this for me.

Regards

Chris

[Garuda]

The T.28086 is a Royal Aircraft Factory propeller. Unfortunately, as Dave mentioned the decals which would have shown us which company manufactured this propeller have been removed, almost certainly during restoration work carried out on it.

[Chris Lz]

Hi Garuda,

Thanks for the info. Yes I'm pretty sure this prop has been "restored", if it originally had decals on it they made a good job of removing any trace. No discernible outlines or anything. Looking through my photos, the one posted above is the only photo I've found with a decal on it. All the rest, mainly 56 & 60 Sqn don't seem to have any decals at all.
However a Royal Aircraft Factory propeller is good enough for me.

Thanks for your time looking this up.

Regards

Chris

[Garuda]

Hi Chris,

You're very welcome. I am very interested in any WW1 aircraft relics. The T.28086 propeller is certainly a very distinctively shaped propeller. I think I have a drawing for it. It's such a shame that it, as so many have has been restored. If it originally had decals it's an example of the irreparable damage which is done during such "restorations". It's very interesting that you ended up with the propeller Gazza posted photos of! A great purchase, and it's a very historically significant propeller, despite the fact that it has been restored. It would be very interesting to find out if the Royal Aircraft Factory used decals such as the one shown in the photo you posted from High in the Empty Blue, if they used decals at all.

Regards,

David.