Propeller

[brygadoon]

Hi

I was recently given this propeller by an elderly neighbour... can anyone tell me what plane it comes from? She seems to think it comes from a spitfire.

 

[Airframes]

Not a Spitfire propellor. The early Spit 2-blade prop had a much broader chord, and then the change to 3 and more blades was made. Difficult to tell without dimensions and data, but it's similar to that fitted to the Tiger Moth, Anson and Chipmunk, going off the blade shape and the boss.

 

[brygadoon]

Thanks for your reply, Airframes.

If you would be so kind as to tell me which dimensions you require, I shall be more than happy to supply them

P.S. I did some research of my own and it seems the two-bladed Spitfire propellers were made from wood. This one appears to be made from aluminium.

 

[Airframes]

Yes, the early Spit prop was a hefty wooden affair. Yours could well be relatively modern, and to be honest, I doubt I could positively identify it, but if you can post the length, tip to tip, and the diameter of the boss, and any data which should be stamped on the hub casting, someone here might be able to shed more light on it. It does look about the size of a Chipmunk prop, and a similar shape though.

 

[brygadoon]

A Chipmunk? I remember those... red and white training aircraft. I used to live at Middle Wallop, the base of the Army Air Corp and saw them all the time.

I'll post those dimensions tomorrow and someone might be able to identify it

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Any numbers around the hub would help as well.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Is there any markings or numbers stamped or painted on the prop?

 

[brygadoon]

Here's a closeup of the hub. The propeller is 2122mm from tip to tip.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

These are some of the aircraft this prop can go to. I think there is also a wooden equivalent that can be used as well.

61186.A/X1 D.H.86A/1 Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X2 D.H.86 Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X2 D.H.86A/1 Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X2 D.H.86B Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X2 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X3 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X4 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X5 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186.A/X6 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy Six-Series I 2
61186A/X2 D.H.86B Gipsy VI 2
61186A/X4 D.H. Dominie I Gipsy Queen 3 2
61186A/X4 D.H. Dominie I Gipsy VI 2
61186A/X4 D.H.86 Gipsy VI 2
61186A/X4 D.H.89 Dragon Rapide Gipsy VI

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Compare with this pic.

 

[brygadoon]

Thanks for that, Flyboy... I shall now do some research on that aircraft

 

[FLYBOYJ]

My Pleasure!

 

[Airframes]

Great work there Joe. At least I was in the right series of engines, as the Chipmunk has a later Gypsy engine.

 

[brygadoon]

I'm a bit confused... is Gipsy Six the type of engine and Dragon Rapide the name of the aircraft?

 

[A4K]

Wanted to say, looks like a Dominie prop to me - going by Joe's info looks like I could be right!

Btw Brygadoon, the De Havilland DH 89A Dragon Rapide is the aircraft type, (it's military designation DH 89B Dominie), the DH Gypsy Six was the motor type powering them.

Evan

 

[Airframes]

Yes, the DH Gypsy was a series of engines, used from the DH Moth, through Tiger Moth, Dragon, Dragon Rapide (Dominie being the military version), Chipmunk, Dove, Heron etc. These engines were also fitted to such types as the Auster and Stampe SV4, as well as many other aircraft in the 1930s to late 1950s.

 

[A4K]

All beautiful aircraft...miss the DH's...

 

[brygadoon]

Thanks for the info, guys... much appreciated.

I would like to apologise in advance for sullying the moment with my price-taggery but is the propeller actually worth anything? I was thinking of donating it to the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop.

 

[Airframes]

Only worth what someone would pay, to hang it on their wall after clean-up. Donating to the museum, if they want it, sounds good. Nice museum that, at Middle Wallop.