prop identification assistance required!!

[probbo]

Hello all,

i've just bought an old propeller blade off a retaurant owner who had it for display - its approx 6ft tall and wooden with a metal base which would have connected into a hub. It has been "restored" at some time in the past, the black covering has been removed and the brass strip that runs along the leading edge has been removed. It has a metal tip which is flatter at the leading edge and rounded at the trailing. It's about 12 inches wide at widest part. There is label on the bottom from the restorer stating that the covering has been removed and that the leading edge strip had oxidised so was not replaced, and that the base was filed and sanded(whic has helped fade the serial numbers!!! (loads of useless information,but nothing on where it came from!!!)

i have managed to find some numbering on the hub which reads- D13577p then a 33 in a circle and a 4 in a circle(there could be another symbol/number above these numbers such as the british government arrow?) but corroded so hard to tell. the "p" after the numbers is corroded but does look correct. There could be another number or two (such as 1.9) after the "p" but hard to determine. Ther is also another number on the opposite side which reads (again corroded) RA5612----16---58 (again there is some corrosion so not sure if there are more numbers in between or not).

The guy who sold the prop said that a customer had researched it and that it belonged to a Westland Wapiti, and that it was a twin engined troop carrier (the Wapiti is a single engined aircraft so this is incorrect).

if anyone could shed some light it would be most welcome!

Regards,,

Paul.

[Bob Gardner]

Greetings Paul,

RA5612 is probably a Rotol number. This British maker was formed in 1937, I think, with the amalgamation of Bristol and Rolls-Royce propeller shops. I don't have your number listed. The nearest that I can get is RA5619 which was the part number for an adaptor fitted to the hub of early marks of Spitfire. This does not mean that yours is from a Spitfire but might mean that it was made at the same time.

Prop type nos for Rotol props generally begin with R and a digit. Blade type nos generally begin RA10......

I don't have a Rotol number listed for the Wapiti.

In other words, I can't help much, but possibly this info will assist in squinting at what is left of the numbers! I have discovered, after much practice, that you can train your eyes and brain to intepret squiggles on a prop. If you study them for about twenty minutes from every angle, you might find that you can suddenly read them!

With kind regards,

Bob

[probbo]

Thanks Bob,

having carefully tried to clean away the pitting and looking at what's left of the letters more carefully (with a microscope!!) and comparing with other letters on the hub it actually appears to be RA5612 16 38. the 2 on the end could be a 7 depending on style (the fgure has a swan neck so assuming a two, but could be an old fashioned seven - can any one else advise?)

I'm assuming the 38 is the year?

i will try and attach some pics, it looks more like a Hurricane prop than a spit to me.


Kind regards


Paul.

[Bob Gardner]

Paul, I did not mean to suggest that your prop is from a Spit, merely that that was the nearest serial no I could find to yours, so chronologically it was made from 1938-43 or thereabouts.

I have also looked in the de Havilland drg nos and the following might be near yours, particularly if R might be P. Nos are

Prop type 6/6, blade type P(DP)56162/1 Hercules Engine, Beaufighter
Prop type 6/7, blade type P(DP)5613/1 Hercules Engine, Stirling
Prop type nk, blade type P(DP)56153/1 Hercules Engine, Stirling
Prop type 6/6A, blade type P56162 Hercules Engine, Beaufighter
Prop type 6/8, blade type P56462 Hercules Engine, Beaufighter

With regards,

Bob

[probbo]

Thanks Bob,

apologies, i was'nt suggesting you though it was a spit - it just looks like a hurricane prop to me, rather than the Wapiti the guy i bought it from told me it was.

It definately is an RA at the beginning of the series - having re looked at it agin, i'm 90% sure that it's RA 4612 16 38 - there is also a small square black patch left of the original covering with a yellow circle within which are "DB" in small above a large "B" on a yellow circle on prop at height at which blade shape starts?

Best Regards

Paul.

[Bob Gardner]

4612? Not 5612?

Bob

[probbo]

bob,

sorry, typo, yes RA5612. i will try and upload some pics....

thanks,

Paul.

[probbo]

just getting the hang of this, and some more..

[Bob Gardner]

Paul,

I can't help any further.

Bob

[probbo]

Bob,

no problem! - thanks for your help so far, it's given me something to go on.

Kind Regards,

Paul.