Please Help Identify My Wooden Propeller

[Francesca]

It measures 5' 9" long and the only ID on it is the following...

DES66R
RO3587
ATC581

I may not have every digit correct. It's hard to read.

Thank you in advance for any help you might be able to provide.

[Dave]

It may very well be a variation on one of the 66 inch props listed on this page. Seems to me that there is another 66 model prop that could also apply, but I don't recall the details.

[Francesca]

Hi Dave. This has become such an interesting project learning about propellers!

I found a FLOTTORP propeller online that looks nearly exactly the same and has a similar DES number stamped on it. What do you think? Could that be the correct identity?

[Dave]

Well, there were literally thousands of designs that looked like yours, so that really doesn't help. I don't see that Flottorp had a similar design number, so I'm guessing that also doesn't help either.

"ATC 581" is a Sensenich Type Certificate number, but actually applied to the 69 inch prop. I'm wondering if perhaps yours was manufactured and simply stamped incorrectly with "66" instead of "69" and then rejected from final preparation and delivery, since in fact it is 69 inches in length. A number of existing props now were actually factory rejects then, found their way into various attics and other storages places, and resurfaced years later. Some of them (not yours) have managed to pick up "tall tales" on their way - like claims that they powered Lindberg's personal airplane, for instance, or were plucked from a plane shot down by the Red Baron.

[Francesca]

I wish I had some colorful history to share about this piece but no such luck. It's just a good old fashioned barn find. Great learning experience though. Thank you again!

P.S. -- Here is that Flottorp propeller with the DES number that I was talking about...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FLOTTORP-DES...-/140815142461