Wooden Airplane Propeller

[amazinblue82]

This will only take a second with you folks. Can someone help with an identification of a NON-auto part?

I am certain this is an airplane propeller. Its been cloggin' up my warehouse for 30 years. dont even remember exactly where I got it.

I was gonna refinish it but clearly never did. I guess people collect these but I finally screwed it up and chipped the trailing edge.

Anyone recognize this part? what vintage (assuming 1930's)? What plane(s) used it? What kinda wood? Its about four feet tall, weighs like 40 lbs (almost all of it in the bottom end clearly), and copper/steel(?) gilding riveted on leading edge.

any help appreciated .. and if you have any insight on wooden propellers in general? Educate me and other interested people?

they probably were out of production before virtually any of us were born, but there may be someone here who knows their stuff on this piece.

 

[barnfind]

Sorry, no help here, but


How to Identify Historic Aircraft Propellers - Hartzell Propeller
Quick observations
any numbers on it?
metal on the leading edge is rivited on, so it is vintage
1930s seems to be the time frame of swap from wood to metal
Used with a hub

 

[Fury440]

I would suggest the wood is Sitka Spruce, the reinforcement was required to improved the overall strength. The hub makes this a variable pitch blade. Early variable pitch had to be manually adjusted while the planed was on the ground. These appeared in the 20's. Later gearing was used to allow pitch adjustment during flight. Can't tell from the pictures if this was adjustable during flight or not. No idea of value, but I knows interior decorators buy them up for wall art in restaurants and bars. I wouldn't "fix" it, the market likes the used and rough.

 

[330dTA]

It would seem to be an airboat (i.e. hydroplane) propeller. Those are relatively short (tick), have wide blades (tick), and squared off or rounded (tick) ends. Take a look here:
www.woodenpropeller.com

 

[detmatt]

I'm going to say it likely not Sitka spruce as that's a soft wood. It looks more like ash to me, think baseball bat.

 

[amazinblue82]

thanks guys. the links were very helpful too along with your insights.

there are no numbers visible anywhere. might be on the hub but at first glance (without any metal cleanup) no luck.

a couple of ads with a similar looking mechanical set up (variable pitch, 2-4 blade set up.

the "fixing" i was thinking about was both a cosmetic and preservative thing but more so because the wood is "rough" . especially down near the hub, and you can easily get splinters. etc.. but i do understand "patina" is good in some collector markets.

its actually a remarkably shaped aerodynamic surface. the pics dont to it justice on the subtlety/design intent reflected in the contours of the wood. its curvilinear along x,y, and z axes if that makes sense?

they obviously hogged it out of a log but then i suspect a lotta expert woodworking finally got the shape they needed. and THEN to do that every time in a production setting ..wow.

anyway, i'll toss it on feebay and see if somebody can use it.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Elm or ash I think. Been a long time since I was in airplane mechanics school. Used oil pressure to push piston in and out to vary the pitch best I can remember.
Never mind ad says shows how it works.
Hartzell fan is still on main drag in Piqua Ohio, I have delivered coils there.

 

[amazinblue82]

.. Been a long time since I was in airplane mechanics school. Used oil pressure to push piston in and out to vary the pitch best I can remember.
Never mind ad says shows how it works.

i'll blow it up here to make it easier to read.. its actually fascinating. works just like you said. thanks!

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Works like a wing in reverse. Low pitch(attack angle) for take off to allow engine to reach peak power. High Pitch to allow engine to operate slower and still be able to "move a lot of air" saving fuel, wear and tear etc.
With a wing you do the opposite flaps and slats increase lift at take off and landing, steamlining the wing at cruising helps reduce drag, increasing range.

 

[1978 NYB]

I know that these old props are highly sought after for wall art displays.

 

[75LandYacht]

Whatcha gonna ask for it? Starting price on Febay? Or it brings what it brings?

 

[amazinblue82]

Whatcha gonna ask for it? Starting price on Febay? Or it brings what it brings?

Dunno yet .. trying to find one like that sold recently, or at anytime. I have NOT found a transaction example of this particular prop style.

I have inquiries out to the "FCBO" of antique airplanes to get some help on precise ID and suggested price .. hopefully someone will get back to me

 

[amazinblue82]

well. more info. looks like it .. or similarr? im ready to spike the ball and call this one for what it is. .

Vintage WWII Era Wooden Airplane Propeller ERCO | eBay

Folks, up for consideration is a rare vintage collectible from the the WWII era. These were manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO). This one is a set of 2 ERCO Wooden Propellers. They have been used and show use. The back side is shown in picture #2. Towards the bottom you will notice some red on the wood. I'm not sure what that is, could be paint or stain. The bottom hub part shows rust (pictures #6, #7, #9) and the decals are readable but show wear (pictures #3, #4). Each of the Erco Wooden Propellers are 49" in height and weigh approximately 35 lbs each. The vintage wood blade was the alternative for the shortage of aluminum during the War. The wood blades were carved from a laminated block of high density, impregnated and compressed wood called "Compreg". The ERCO Wooden propeller was produced for general aviation and military trainers.
​

Made out of "compreg" (compressed/impregnated) .. resin treated wood. See link, GO to page 19-5 if interested in just that. kinda fascinating.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/ch19.pdf

so, mine might be worth a few hundred bucks, or nothing. we'll see. thanks for everyone's help.

a few more -- now that i know what they are called.

Vintage WWII Era Wooden Airplane Propeller ERCO DI CESARE Chicago Illinois | eBay

Two Original WWII Era Wooden Variable Pitch Airplane Propeller Blades 52" Long | eBay