ww1 prop

[warren dyer]

Hi, i have a prop hub that is now a clock that my grandfather made. I am trying to find out who the manufacturers of the prop were, the numbers stamped on the hub are as follows
G96 N18
AD 644 RH
130 CLERGET
D2590
P2650
I have found out that the clerget rotary engine was made by GWYNNES LTD but i do not know if they made the prop as well. Can anyone shead any light on this prop, and possibly narrow down the plane list these engines were fitted to, cheers warren

[Dave]

It was a propeller used on a Sopwith Camel as well as a few other aircraft, including a "PV9" and also (I think) a DH5. The drawing number prefix "AD" refers to Air Department, Admiralty, but sometimes other manufacturers would produce the propellers under license, so you can't always be sure of the exact manufacturer without stampings or decals by the manufacturer.

The attached page is from a past issue of WW1 Aero, listing a number of aircraft/propeller designations.

[Bob Gardner]

Hello Warren,

Your prop can only be from a Sopwith Camel of the RNAS. The design AD644 was used by the Air Department of the Admiralty with a diameter of 2590mm only for the Sopwith Camel. The PV9 etc had a prop diameter of 2500mm.

Interestingly, when used by the RFC (when the design was AB644), the prop was always 2590mm in diameter, not only for the Camel, but also for five other types of aircraft.

Bob

[Dave]

Bob, I see in the Windsock Datafiles publication that they list the AD644 drawing (with the 2590 diameter) as applicable to both the Camel and the PV9. Is that an error?

[warren dyer]

ww1 prop

hi, Thanks for that Bob and Dave very interesting, at least it reduces my list of planes it could have belonged to. Iam located in east yorkshire, is there any way of dating my prop by using the production number group and prop number of the production group? would i get any further info at any museums etc. cheers warren.

[Bob Gardner]

Good Heavens, Warren, you are a complete foreigner. I live in South Yorkshire. But I lived in Beverley for four happy years!

Your prop dates from late 1917 or 1918. Does it have F1 on it anywhere, or Sopwith? This was the official name of what everyone else called the Camel. Or 2F1, which would indicate a carrier based Camel.

With regards,

Bob

[warren dyer]

Hi, bob
Iam in driffield just up the road from beverly. I have had a look at the hub and cant see any other markings ive even taken the feet off the clock just in case anything was hiding but unfortunately not. If your interested i will send you some pics. cheers warren.

[Bob Gardner]

Good Morning Warren,

I used to live at Leconfield from 1989 to 1993. I was in the Army.

I'd love to see photographs of all the data stamped on the hub, including any minute boxes with AID numbers in them, to add to my databse. Please e-mail them to me, at a high resolution. My address is on my website. There's a link below. I don't want to list it here. Too many bots and piggy-back riders!

With regards,

Bob