Found in a field

[Maddog 2]

I have found eight propellers in a field in Cheshire.
I would love to know what plane they are from.
thanks

 

[fubar57]

Spitfire maybe

 

[Airframes]

Certainly look like Spit blades. If by chance found near Stretton, they cold be Seafire blades, Stretton being, at one time a Naval Air Station.

 

[Maddog 2]

Certainly look like Spit blades. If by chance found near Stretton, they cold be Seafire blades, Stretton being, at one time a Naval Air Station.

They were found near congleton used as fence posts of all things.
spitfire WOW I need to secure them heritage like that can't be thrown away.

 

[jmcalli2]

I have found eight propellers in a field in Cheshire.
I would love to know what plane they are from.
thanks

Are they wooden or metal?

 

[Maddog 2]

Are they wooden or metal?

They are wooden I'm a tree surgeon and can't I'd the timber used. Any idea ?

 

[2banaviator]

Are they wooden or metal?

Look closely and you'll see that they are wood with metal-clad leading edge. If you ever have a chance to see a Spitfire prop blade cross-section, its a marvel of laminated hardwood. Extremely tight and well done. Perhaps I'm using the wrong term 'laminate', but its constructed of many layers of wood glued together to form a stronger bond than just one piece of wood.

 

[2banaviator]

Here's a cross section of a Spitfire prop blade that I picked up in the UK a few years back. You can see the metal clad leading edge as well as the laminated sections. It was actually from Spitfire PV202Y1AC161, at least thats what is written on it.

 

[fubar57]

Right-side uppied the photo with the letters/numbers on the tip to save a few necks

 

[Maddog 2]

Yes lamination is the right term for its construction.
some are still metal clad on the leading edge.
do the numbers mean anything ?
The spitfire inventor was in Stoke on Trent I think don't think there's a link there though. Were the props coated in varnish or plastic ?

 

[fubar57]

Perhaps they can tell the maker. Can you get them any clearer?

 

[Maddog 2]

I will try tomorrow as I'm back in the same field.

 

[Airframes]

Numbers on the prop blades refer to the prop, not the aircraft.
As mentioned, they certainly look like Spitfire prop blades, possibly the four-bladed type as fitted to the Mk.IX./ MkXVI.
These were the 'Jablo' type, wood laminate, and would have originally had a sort of hard, rubber-like membrane coating, to seal the timber from moisture etc.
Any other markings would be near the root, consisting of a coloured disc, and some letters / numbers, identifying the type of blade, its construction and pitch etc.
Congleton is just down the road from me (Macclesfield), so a find 'close to home'. I'm guessing some farmer acquired them as scrap, and used them as fence posts, probably in the late 1940s / early 1950's.

 

[Maddog 2]

Numbers on the prop blades refer to the prop, not the aircraft.
As mentioned, they certainly look like Spitfire prop blades, possibly the four-bladed type as fitted to the Mk.IX./ MkXVI.
These were the 'Jablo' type, wood laminate, and would have originally had a sort of hard, rubber-like membrane coating, to seal the timber from moisture etc.
Any other markings would be near the root, consisting of a coloured disc, and some letters / numbers, identifying the type of blade, its construction and pitch etc.
Congleton is just down the road from me (Macclesfield), so a find 'close to home'. I'm guessing some farmer acquired them as scrap, and used them as fence posts, probably in the late 1940s / early 1950's.

Across the road from the find is a former POW camp I believe don't know if that's relevant.
but yes there is a coating on the blades.

 

[2banaviator]

Ask the farmer if he'd take an offer on them. I'm sure that some of us would step up! Including yours truly...

 

[Bigmerle]

Photo number 5 possibly Hurricane?

 

[Prop Duster]

this is more interesting than gluing styrene tonight

 

[Dave Welch]

Photo number 5 possibly Hurricane?

Yes I would help out if necessary too. Ime sure the farmer will put a hefty valuation on them once he realises what there from and the interest there creating.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

I heard about these years ago but never knew the exact location so never went looking. They do look like Spit props to me. When I was told about them I was told the farmers used 100's of props that had been scraped at the end of the war when they just cut the planes up and melted down. Not only Spitfires but Mosies, Lancs, Hurricanes etc. Oh to have been around then to have saved some!
Nice find. I do see from your photos that a new fence is in the area, may be it's a new farmer or land owner that decided to replace them.