LF363 with four-bladed prop

From airshow logs, LF363 was at the Coventry Airshow on 17-8-80 and 15-8-82, but not 16-8-81. Can’t find a log for 1979.

1980 was the year, I’ve seen some air to air pic’s of it taken in May 1980.

Now worked out it was between 1979 and the end of the 1982 display season, …… So was my photo at Baginton in 1979, 80, 81 or 82 … help!

If it helps, a photo floating around the internet shows LF363 painted as GN-F with 3 bladed prop dated as Aug 81.

I’ve heard that four-bladers also do nasty things to the handling due to the prop vortex affecting the tail, hence why they tend to stick to three blades if possible. I think it was G-ORGI that had problems when it was first flown after restoration with a four blade prop, most of the trouble being cured by a three blader.

On my very first day at BBMF as NCO i/c I went to Northolt to meet the rest of the crew who werwe attending to LF363. Whilst taxying the gear had been selected up instead of the flaps. After repairs to radiator fairing, flaps etc we flew her with a four blade prop altering the blade settings to suit the different reduction gear ratio. I went to BBMF in 1978, unsure when we got her flying again.

Now worked out it was between 1979 and the end of the 1982 display season, it was repainted all black with “VY-X” codes during the winter of 82/83. Doubtful it was any faster, PZ865 (in its racing guise as G-AMAU) was tested with a Rotol 4-blader by Gp Capt Peter Townsend prior to the 1950 Kings’ Cup at Wolverhampton. He returned to Langley and they re-fitted the 3-blader for the race as there was no noticeable improvement in performance.

So was my photo at Baginton in 1979, 80, 81 or 82 … help!

I think it was late 70s – they borrowed the prop off the Uxbridge Spitfire. Purists moaned and were told it was 4 blade or not fly at all. I wonder if the extra blade made her go any faster?