[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

Metal vs. wooden propeller.

If a propeller of piston-engined plane has hit ground or some other obstacle the procedures after the incident are different depending of the propeller material:
- Engine with metal (usually aluminium) propeller automatically has to be taken apart and checked for damages (read expensive or very expensive).
- with wooden propeller the propeller torque plate (terminology?) is checked with measuring equipment. If the throw is within acceptable tolerances and other checks show no damage in motor then it is just new propeller and the "power-pack" is "good to go".

We have had that happening couple of times with a glider towing plane of our flying club. Nose gear has collapsed twice in very hard landings (several years between the incidents). Fortunately both times wooden propeller was installed and same engine could be kept. Major savings in money and time.

I do not know if this fact factored in the Luftwaffe thinking, however.


Cheers,
Kari