Wooden Propeller Identification

[jlessig]

I found this wooden propeller in a creek next to my house today. I thought it was an old lawn mower blade at first. Looks old, but I have no clue what era it's from. I was hoping someone could help me ID it. The only markings I can see on it I think say "54-56-52". I've attached a photo of the markings because they're not that legible. The prop is exactly 54.5" long.

IMG_0243

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0241

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0240

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0239

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0238

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0237

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

IMG_0236

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

FullSizeRender

• jlessig
• Mar 18, 2017

 

[fubar57]

Modern Wooden Propellers

 

[jlessig]

Modern Wooden Propellers

Thanks, I already looked all over their website and didn't find any info that was relevant to this prop. For some reason I can't register on their forum either.

 

[A4K]

Cool find mate!

Googled the number and first hit was this: PropRecommend
A photo on one of their sublinks is pretty close to yours, though other companies came up too. Just need to check them all to see which fits your prop. (Looks like a modern ultra light aircraft prop in any case)

 

[jlessig]

Cool find mate!

Googled the number and first hit was this: PropRecommend
A photo on one of their sublinks is pretty close to yours, though other companies came up too. Just need to check them all to see which fits your prop. (Looks like a modern ultra light aircraft prop in any case)

Thanks A4K! I think the second and the last ones look the closest to what I have. Pretty cool find, especially laying in the brackish water creek next to my house. I just wonder if it was lost by someone or if it was a crash. My house sits at the very top of Tampa Bay in FL. It's about 1000 yards of marsh and mangroves between me and the bay. Not sure if there's a way to tell what year it was made, but it's definitely been in there for a while.

 

[A4K]

Sure hope it wasn't a crash! They did mention they make hovercraft props too, so hopefully just a prop change for one of them.

 

[jlessig]

Sure hope it wasn't a crash! They did mention they make hovercraft props too, so hopefully just a prop change for one of them.

Not sure how far back hovercrafts go, but this thing looks super old. Although it's close to the manufacturer you linked to, it's probably not them, as they mention that all of their props are laminated and this one is solid wood throughout. Thanks much for the help, I knew someone hear would figure it out.

 

[A4K]

Ah, no worries mate, hopefully someone else will know better what she's from.

 

[Michael Hope]

Not sure how far back hovercrafts go, but this thing looks super old. Although it's close to the manufacturer you linked to, it's probably not them, as they mention that all of their props are laminated and this one is solid wood throughout. Thanks much for the help, I knew someone hear would figure it out.

From the images, the propeller is made out of several layers of wood, in the first image you can see the laminations have come unglued, not one solid piece. Aircraft propellers have been made out of laminated layers for at least the last 100 years. Also what is the material on the leading edge of the blade, vintage propellers used metal/brass leading edges riveted through the wood. It appears that possibly it could be a polyurethane material, which is a modern material.