Tweet
Aviation friends, I have both an aviation and a family mystery I need some help solving. Last week a long time aviation friend gave me a family heirloom that was passed down from his Uncle Mr. Reginald (Reg) Hogbin. Reg joined Hawker Engineering in the early 1920’s as an apprentice. He remained with Hawker until 1955. In 1935 Reg was a crew chief on the prototype Hurricane K5083 for its first flight. The airplane and its stable mates were fitted with 2 blade Watts (Airscrew) Propellers with a tapered plywood spinner attached.
Somewhere along the way Reg salvaged a shattered wooden propeller after a ground strike incident. He fashioned the remains into a flower pot holder for his wife complete with handles carved from the remains of the blades. Family lore suggests this pot was made from a propeller from one of the Hurricane prototypes.
The relic remained in his home until his death in the 1980s when it was given to his nephew, my friend Angus. All was well until Angus’ new wife decided it was hideous and asked him to find it a new home..mine! Thankfully my wife loves it and wants to put a plant back in it!
I would like to confirm what it is really from. There is no doubt it is about the right size for a big engine but photos I have found suggest the Merlin propellers had a 10 or 12 bolt hub adapter. This one has 8 X 5/8 bolt holes on an 8” circle. I do see evidence of the wood spinner (nail holes and a shadow of the aft ring). It is 8 inches tall X 10” across the hub and is made from 9 plies of laminate each about 7/8 thick. The markings on the aft side are hard to make out but it looks like REV I S?
Any ideas what this is off of? Hurricane or Gladiator or…
Somewhere along the way Reg salvaged a shattered wooden propeller after a ground strike incident. He fashioned the remains into a flower pot holder for his wife complete with handles carved from the remains of the blades. Family lore suggests this pot was made from a propeller from one of the Hurricane prototypes.
The relic remained in his home until his death in the 1980s when it was given to his nephew, my friend Angus. All was well until Angus’ new wife decided it was hideous and asked him to find it a new home..mine! Thankfully my wife loves it and wants to put a plant back in it!
I would like to confirm what it is really from. There is no doubt it is about the right size for a big engine but photos I have found suggest the Merlin propellers had a 10 or 12 bolt hub adapter. This one has 8 X 5/8 bolt holes on an 8” circle. I do see evidence of the wood spinner (nail holes and a shadow of the aft ring). It is 8 inches tall X 10” across the hub and is made from 9 plies of laminate each about 7/8 thick. The markings on the aft side are hard to make out but it looks like REV I S?
Any ideas what this is off of? Hurricane or Gladiator or…
Comment