Early Wooden Prop I.D.

[Bob Gardner]

I finally got there. It is a Vickers Aircraft but not from Weybridge but from Crayford near Dartford in Kent, It pre-dates the Fighting Biplane. A series of experimental monoplanes were made, seven in all, from 1911 to 1913 when work began on the EFB, the Experimental Fighting Biplane.

The photo below shows a prop like yours on the Vickers Monoplane 6 and below that the advert also shows that Vickers-Levasseur made props. Congratulations! It is a rare and very interesting prop, probably the only surviving example.




I'm going to have a beer!

With regards,

Bob

[Bob Gardner]

I have discovered another interesting thread. A Vickers Monoplane was used by the 1913 Australian Antarctic Expedition. Has your prop always been in Australia or was it brought from England?

Bob

[Dave]

Great work, Bob!!

[Bob Gardner]

Thanks Dave. It makes up for all the times you and I have got nowhere trying to identify a prop!

Bob

[Grazza]

Bob, The oral history of the prop indicates that it was brought to Australia when my elderly friend emigrated to here. I have lost contact with him but I will do a postal search and find him and try to get more details from him. Thank you both for your help. Regards, Grazza.

[Grazza]

Hello Bob, Please allow me to correct an error in a previous text. I managed to track down my elderly friend and he advises me that his Great Uncle payed Ten Shillings for the prop. Also I have obtained the data pertaining to Patent No.12466.12, ie. the text and the drawings and will be contacting a fellow maintenance engineer who is an expert in props to explain it all to me.I feel that the search is over and I sincerely thank you and Dave for your help in tracking down what data is available about the prop. I look forward to purchasing your revised prop book in about September,2008.
Kindest regards, Grazza.

[Bob Gardner]

Thanks Grazza. If possible, can you send me photos of the text and plans of the patent. Or better still tell me how to get my own copy? I have managed to obtain copies of German patents; that's quite easy! but I found myself going round in circles trying to see a copy of your patent.

Bob

[Grazza]

Bob, Is it unusual for Levasseur designed props to have both the Helice-Levasseur decal/stamping and the Vickers-Levasseur decal on them or was this the usual practice at the time of manufacture ?.
Grazza.