Propblade, wood

[Sealander]

High everybody,
attached a picture of a propellor blade in wood with a brass lining on one side.
The dimensions are 88 cm long (maybe a bit longer originally) and 26 cm wide.
Time frame crash September 1944, most likely single engine allied.

Any idea wellcome.

thanks Sealander

[Graham Boak]

The round tip shape would rule out a Spitfire, which was perhaps the most obvious wooden propellor. It suggests P-51, but did they have wooden props? Similarly Mosquito.

Could it be German?

[Pilot]

Mahogany... much used on slow machines. Much stronger wood is used for the laminating of the propeller blades for fast airplanes. Where is the crash place?

[Sealander]

Pilot,
suggested crashlocation is between the river Scheldt and the Belgian border, some 20 Km's West of Antwerp but in the Netherlands.

regards

Sealander

[Sealander]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

The round tip shape would rule out a Spitfire, which was perhaps the most obvious wooden propellor. It suggests P-51, but did they have wooden props? Similarly Mosquito.

Could it be German?

Graham,
a German fighter is not impossible but apart from "Bodenplatte" they were not seen around or very seldom.
So the option is in the back of my head
regards
Sealander

[Bill Walker]

Going with the suggestion that it is a slower aircraft:

Too big a chord for an AOP, such as an Auster or an L-4.

Might be a transport. Most North American built transports had metal props (Dakota and Norseman), but Ansons were used on transports flights to the Continent in that time frame. Take a look at http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/photos/p_anson2.jpg

I think the tip has been eroded some, look at the step at the end of the brass strip. There used to be more wood there, I think.

[Pilot]

Good point Bill, the method of laminating is the same. Only to guess did any of that type flew in the area. I will take a look today in the collection of images of the local build airplanes, first at all to see Dutch types, to see is this any of local machine. Did any try to see in documents any crash?

[Sealander]

Pilot,
thanks for your remark, but do not waste any time on the local built a/c.
They all vanished in the Maydays of 1940 and if there ever was a rebuilt one it certainly did not appear anywhere near the September 1944 frontline!
Non of the dutch planes was destroyed in the area.

regards
Sealander

[ClinA-78]

Hello,

Just a though... perhaps from an Belgian Aéronautique Militaire Renard 31 blade... but back in 1940... Will match its dimension to a real one.

Best regards

ClinA-78