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Request the help of you pros out there with regard to a propeller I've owned for about 15 years. I found it in a small antique shop in Jefferson, Texas many moons ago, covered in a layer of dried dirt with mud and hay sticking out of the hub. It belonged to the grandfather of the shop owner who told me her grandfather used to fly some old biplane, but she didn't know anything about the type. The prop had been in a barn that belonged to him for years and she finally brought it and other old farm pieces out to sell in the shop. I took it home, cleaned it up, and put a new light coat of varnish on it. Looks very good.
I'm kicking around the idea of selling it due to the fact that my computer PSU fried 3 weeks ago and took most of my internal components with it. I've bought replacements, but the total is putting the squeeze on the pocketbook at the worst time of the year. I love the prop, but I'm in the Air Force and have hauled it around through 5 moves since I got it and have never properly mounted it. May be time to part with it...
I've got pics of it that I'd like to share in order to help identify it, but I'm not familiar with the whole public server thing. If someone can give me a cluelight and point me in the right direction on how best to do that I'd appreciate it.
In the meantime, here's the basic info I got from just looking at the prop itself that will hopefully help:
Length: 7 ft, 6 inches
Total hub diameter: 9 inches
Diameter of hole in center of hub: 4 inches
Number of bolt holes: 8
Size of bolt holes: 1/2 to 3/4 inches (I need to check this. It's at my office)
Leading edges: Silver metal
Fabric anywhere? NO
There is a label on each of the two blades of the prop. Apparently it was reconditioned at some point in its life, and each label is in the shape of the old Air Force logos, with a circular center and a rectangle "wing" on each side. In this case, though the logo has a blue ball with a red star in it. In the center of the star are the letters "US". Around the top half of the ball it reads, "U.S. PROPELLERS INC". Around the lower half of the ball it reads, "LOS ANGELES, CALIF." To the left of the circle it reads, "RECONDITIONED BY", and to the right it reads, "APPROVED STATION No. 371"
Additionally, the following numbers and letters are imprinted into the wood around the hub:
US 2429
US 1573 (larger letters/numbers, just below the "US 2429")
328
90196 (just below the "328", closest to center hole)
Not knowing much about prop background info, it seems fairly clear that the prop was made by US Propellers and then reconditioned by them later on. Would the two numbers above reflect that? (i.e., the first for original manufacture and the second after it was reconditioned?)
Would appreciate any info someone can share based on my description without the pictures. Am curious as to what type of aircraft this might have gone on, and yes, I am curious about the typical going rate for a prop of this size. Obviously it depends on demand, condition, etc, and I would assume this would fall in the classic $500-1200 range, but would appreciate any subjective thoughts on it.
Many thanks in advance for your help. Have enjoyed reading the entries on this sight and learning more about wooden props in general.
M2
I'm kicking around the idea of selling it due to the fact that my computer PSU fried 3 weeks ago and took most of my internal components with it. I've bought replacements, but the total is putting the squeeze on the pocketbook at the worst time of the year. I love the prop, but I'm in the Air Force and have hauled it around through 5 moves since I got it and have never properly mounted it. May be time to part with it...
I've got pics of it that I'd like to share in order to help identify it, but I'm not familiar with the whole public server thing. If someone can give me a cluelight and point me in the right direction on how best to do that I'd appreciate it.
In the meantime, here's the basic info I got from just looking at the prop itself that will hopefully help:
Length: 7 ft, 6 inches
Total hub diameter: 9 inches
Diameter of hole in center of hub: 4 inches
Number of bolt holes: 8
Size of bolt holes: 1/2 to 3/4 inches (I need to check this. It's at my office)
Leading edges: Silver metal
Fabric anywhere? NO
There is a label on each of the two blades of the prop. Apparently it was reconditioned at some point in its life, and each label is in the shape of the old Air Force logos, with a circular center and a rectangle "wing" on each side. In this case, though the logo has a blue ball with a red star in it. In the center of the star are the letters "US". Around the top half of the ball it reads, "U.S. PROPELLERS INC". Around the lower half of the ball it reads, "LOS ANGELES, CALIF." To the left of the circle it reads, "RECONDITIONED BY", and to the right it reads, "APPROVED STATION No. 371"
Additionally, the following numbers and letters are imprinted into the wood around the hub:
US 2429
US 1573 (larger letters/numbers, just below the "US 2429")
328
90196 (just below the "328", closest to center hole)
Not knowing much about prop background info, it seems fairly clear that the prop was made by US Propellers and then reconditioned by them later on. Would the two numbers above reflect that? (i.e., the first for original manufacture and the second after it was reconditioned?)
Would appreciate any info someone can share based on my description without the pictures. Am curious as to what type of aircraft this might have gone on, and yes, I am curious about the typical going rate for a prop of this size. Obviously it depends on demand, condition, etc, and I would assume this would fall in the classic $500-1200 range, but would appreciate any subjective thoughts on it.
Many thanks in advance for your help. Have enjoyed reading the entries on this sight and learning more about wooden props in general.
M2
M2
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