Old Wooden Propeller ID

[Gary]

Hi guys. I was hoping that somebody might help me ID a propeller I recently acquired?

It is a dark wooden prop, brass on leading edges all the way to the tips. Fairly pointed, sharp tips with 8 mounting holes in the hub. Prop is about 2,3m long.

Markings visible around the hub are:
Mongoose D2210 P1665 DFC 2

Markings to left of hub:
WATTS 908/2

Markings to right of hub:
AG 28515.

Of interest is a wooden ring all around the hub which seems to have been used to mount a spinner, based on the holes visible on it and the tapering lines/grooves from in onto the hub itself.

I would really appreciate it if somebody might be able to give any indication as to what aircraft this could have come from. Thanks so much.

[Mtskull]

Your propeller is from a Hawker Tomtit, powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Mongoose engine.
That’s a nice prop and quite a rare item, only 35 of the type having been built.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms...deley_Mongoose

[Dbahnson]

Since this is a post WW1 prop I've moved the thread to the "Modern" category.

[Gary]

Great. Thank you very much for your reply. Much appreciated.

[Gary]

I see according to Wikipedia that 4 aircraft were sent to New Zealand at some point. The previous owner lived in New Zealand so Im guessing it would most probably have come from one of those aircraft!?

[Mtskull]

I see according to Wikipedia that 4 aircraft were sent to New Zealand at some point. The previous owner lived in New Zealand so Im guessing it would most probably have come from one of those aircraft!?

Sounds highly plausible but if I have learned one thing as a member of this forum, it is not to take at face value the backstory of any propeller unless it can be verified.

You probably know this already; it’s been said many times before on this forum but it is worth repeating: Please don’t be tempted to do anything to “improve” that beautiful propeller except gently cleaning and treating it with beeswax.

[Gary]

Yes. Thank you for that. I dont plan on doing anything other than the cleaning as suggested. I did email the Shuttleworth collection who operate the only remaining Tomtit and they have confirmed that it is indeed a Hawker Tomtit propeller. Thank you very much for all the assistance and advice.