Mosquito spinner dimensions or plans

Hand in the cookie jar

Hi PaP, you know where there’s a Linc spinner or 3, you’re welcome to measure them at any time.
Paul

Already put my hand in the cookie jar! 🙂

Hi PaP, you know where there’s a Linc spinner or 3, you’re welcome to measure them at any time.
Paul

It may be important to bear in mind that spinners were designed (in co-operation with the powerplant manufacturers) and made by the propeller manufacturers which, in the case of the Lanc, Mossie, Lincoln etc, was de-Havilland (licence Ham-Stan prop).

The powerplant cowlings and mountings were designed (in co-operation with the aircraft designers/manufacturers) and made by the engine manufacturers which, in the case of Mosquito and Lancaster (and Lincoln) was Rolls-Royce. This would have ensured a certain amount of commonality and similarity between designs.

The prop and engine designers were in the best position to know what cooling/air intake/exhaust/oil/electrical services, etc. were required so responsibility for these component’s manufacture ended and began at the spinner backplate and the engine firewall.

Anon.

Hamilton Standard

Does the diameter of the spinner not depend on the shape of the aircraft cowl, defined on the drawing board of the aircraft manufacturer responsible? Thus it would be no surprise that a Lancaster spinner is a different model to that of a Mosquito.

Thank you for all the replies and suggestions, will follow through with NZ.
My understanding is that the spinner and spinner backplate were Hamilton Standard designs, adapted by aircraft firms according to specific needs. There seems to be a high degree of commonality in the mounting arrangements of the spinner to backplate and dome assembly. I have access to a Lincoln four bladed spinner and the detail of its manufacture and size, pending confirmation, looks identical to a Mosquito three blade spinner, and I would bet that it is the same as a Mosquito four blade spinner.

With all the competition between radials and inline vees, where the key argument in favour of the inline was small frontal area, no doubt much wind tunnel work was done on spinners and engine cowlings, which I would have expected to feed back to users of the Merlin and develop a consistent approach. Bristols put immense work into engine mounting to address this issue for radials. I understand the spinners of the Mosquito were a key part of its speed formula. No doubt, if there was more time back then, commonality for spinners between Lancaster and Mosquito could have been arrived at, though I wonder if a half inch of difference represents a luxury that would have been intolerable in wartime and quickly addressed. If anybody has actual Lancaster spinner plans I would love to lay them up against Mosquito spinner plans.

Does the diameter of the spinner not depend on the shape of the aircraft cowl, defined on the drawing board of the aircraft manufacturer responsible? Thus it would be no surprise that a Lancaster spinner is a different model to that of a Mosquito.

Your question could probably be answered by Glyn Powell of Mosquito Restorations in New Zealand. Suggest an e-mail.

Bruce Gordon of this forum might know the answer.

The difference between a Lanc and a Mossie spinner is… (wait for it) – half an inch. No, honestly. I recall the same question being posed a few years ago and the mentality of non-interchangeability between these types when each spinner was made by the same company. Presumably this arrangement netted de-H a greater profit.

No, the Lincoln blade is not the same as the (presumably early needle-bladed) Lancaster blade. The early Lanc blades were larger. Also, the Lincoln and Lanc hubs (ignoring the three and four-blade aspect) were of very different designs too. The Lanc had the 23EX-type hub and the Lincoln had an unusual non-HS-licence design (possibly one of their own) which mounted the blades via the blade ports, a bearing pack and a great big backnut (as per Rotol practice). The hub, therefore, was a one-piece machined forging affair. I’m not sure if anything else used this design or whether it was just the Lincoln that was the guinea pig in this instance.

Anon.

Theres one for sale in the states..

Did the Lincoln use the same prop blade (type 6519) as the Lancaster ?