Large 87 inch prop ID needed

[ChrisJ800]

Hi Ive just been given by a widow a wooden prop as follows

Diameter 7 ft 3"
Hub diameter 9.5"
Hub Depth 6.66"
Hub bore diameter 3.25"

all sizes in inches. I am in Tasmania Australia and keen to restore the prop but would love it ID'd beforehand! There are no obvious markings I can see on the prop except a "T" but that could have been carved in after. Im a retired CPL and current RC plane flyer which is why the prop was given to me.

[Dbahnson]

There's not much to go on, except that it's a left hand thread, which is common for a number of British built aircraft developed after WW1. The list of these is gigantic, and without specific drawing numbers all you can do is guess.

[Mtskull]

Pure speculation but that propeller looks very like those fitted to Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engines, as used on Avro Anson and Airspeed Oxford.
The L/H thread, diameter, centre bore and number of bolt holes are consistent with this application but, in the absence of a drawing number you would have to compare it to a “known” propeller to be certain.

PS: Coincidentally I’m a retired ATPL and current R/C plane flyer (well, I will be once we in the UK are allowed out to do such things). Nobody has ever given me a wooden propeller though, more’s the pity!

[ChrisJ800]

Pure speculation but that propeller looks very like those fitted to Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engines, as used on Avro Anson and Airspeed Oxford.
The L/H thread, diameter, centre bore and number of bolt holes are consistent with this application but, in the absence of a drawing number you would have to compare it to a “known” propeller to be certain.

PS: Coincidentally I’m a retired ATPL and current R/C plane flyer (well, I will be once we in the UK are allowed out to do such things). Nobody has ever given me a wooden propeller though, more’s the pity!

Good info as I was able to wet my finger over the faint writing on the side of the hub and its an Airspeed Oxford stamped as Dec 1942 and its the AS Cheetah X engine. Not sure if they had counter rotating props and looks like they switched to variable pitch props later in the war. Im in Australia and looks like we used them for bomber and nav training. Im so glad I was able to read the writing in bright sunlight. In my garage I didnt notice it!

An RC clubmate is going to restore it and put it in our clubhouse shed!

[Mtskull]

To my knowledge Oxford propellers never counter rotated, though you are correct that some later versions used variable pitch propellers.

If you intend to have yours restored, be sure to read this thread first:
http://woodenpropeller.com/forumvB/showthread.php?t=674

[Dbahnson]

An RC clubmate is going to restore it and put it in our clubhouse shed!

Why "restore" it? All of its history is destroyed with it, including the broken blade, which almost certainly relates to a ground incident. And all of the other features, like the remaining painted stripe, etc. are still intact. All of that goes away with a "restoration" and it just becomes a somewhat nice looking piece of wood. See this thread, penned by Bob Gardner, who has written a large series of excellent volumes on British and German propellers as collectibles.

In some cases like this where metal props were substituted for wooden props during the usage period of an airplane a large surplus of unused props resulted and were sold off as surplus. You have one of the few that have a history of being mounted and obviously incurring a different fate.

[Mtskull]

No doubt Chris will be able to confirm but it looks to me as if both blades have been cut, rather than broken.

[Dbahnson]

No doubt Chris will be able to confirm but it looks to me as if both blades have been cut, rather than broken.

I hadn't noticed that, but I think you're correct.

[ChrisJ800]

I hadn't noticed that, but I think you're correct.

Yes both blades have been cut so the plan is to use wooden dowel plugs and reglue the tips so that the prop is whole again. We will hang it in the clubhouse. No plans to paint or use incorrect varnish but will research shellac. Its missing the brass leading edge strips.