Family legend recounts that this chair/stool was made from a Spitfire prop. Can anyone recognise it as such or tell me any more about it please?
[img]http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x384/Captain_Mike1/IMG_0065.jpg%5B/url]
By: DGAC - 16th February 2011 at 17:01
Many thanks. I think we’ll leave it at that.
By: |RLWP - 15th February 2011 at 18:58
My money would still be on a Pup prop:
image from Rosebud’s website
Unfortunately, unless you can find someone with an in-depth knowledge of prop profiles, you’re stumped
Richard
Shiny shoes
By: DGAC - 15th February 2011 at 18:40
Just adding some more pictures that will hopefully give a better idea of the profile of the prop in question and may help further with the identification. Unfortunately, the owner does not have anything in their possession that could have been made from the hub and there are no further identifying marks on the chair.
Sorry about the shadow effect!!
By: |RLWP - 13th February 2011 at 19:04
To be honest, you’re missing the crucial part to properly identify it. All the important information on WWI era propellers is on the hub, and that’s been cut off unfortunately
I’ve been wondering about the “Spitfire” legend. Perhaps it’s confused with “Sopwith” – or that it relates to a Pup or Camel – the Spitfire of their day
Anyway, some more pictures might help, and I’m still envious
Richard
By: DGAC - 13th February 2011 at 16:53
My thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. The posted photos were taken on my iphone in somewhat of a hurry, but I shall be reunited with the chair this coming Tuesday and will take with me a digital camera and see if I can take some better photographs and then post them. I did look for identifying marks/serial numbers but will be even more diligent in my search on Tuesday
By: |RLWP - 11th February 2011 at 23:03
Annoyingly, blowing the image up doesn’t reveal if it’s RAF or RFC
It’s a long shot but, is there anything on the bottom of the seat, a makers badge perhaps?
Really there’s very little to go on. From pictures I have some Pups and Camels had props with that shaped prop
Richard
By: John Aeroclub - 11th February 2011 at 20:58
This is the Officers badge (below Air Rank) of the RAF (after 1st April 1918). The crown surmounting the Eagle above feathers which is what the wavy things represent. If I had to make an informed guess at this I would go for an Avro 504K propeller blade circa 1918 perhaps made into a stylised chair perhaps after being broken (pranged) by the original owner.
The 504K was a standard two seat training aeroplane.
Does the top badge have the letters RAF or RFC in the centre of the wing decoration?
John
By: |RLWP - 11th February 2011 at 20:40
What about this crown over eagle over double wavy thing. What significance is there in this?
Richard
By: John Aeroclub - 11th February 2011 at 19:32
Another possibility with the blade shape might be an Avro 504 (Clerget) I think the prop manufacturer might have been Lang. However without the details from the hub or some family history provenance linking to the RFC/RNAS/RAF in WWI we will never know.
John
By: ZRX61 - 11th February 2011 at 17:49
Surely that is Sopwith One and a half Sitter
Squatter 😉
By: paulmcmillan - 11th February 2011 at 11:26
The shape of the blade suggests to me it may be off a Le Rhone Sopwith One and a half Strutter (Clerget). John
Surely that is Sopwith One and a half Sitter
By: |RLWP - 11th February 2011 at 10:14
Richard
Could you please explain what is meant by “the clue is in the mis-typed link in the OP”?
Hi, Linrey has explained what I meant. There are two pieces of carving on your seat, the one in the back is very indistinct and the one in the seat didn’t get shown because you made a slight error in posting the picture. I was wondering if clear images of those carvings would lead some of the members here to a conclusion.
If it’s really a Sopwith Pup prop then I am consumed in jealousy – far more than if it was a Spit prop splinter
Richard
By: John Aeroclub - 11th February 2011 at 09:12
The shape of the blade suggests to me it may be off a Le Rhone Sopwith Pup or a One and a half Strutter (Clerget). I think Pup (RNAS?) 1916/18 time. Most certainly not Spitfire.
John
By: Linrey - 11th February 2011 at 07:51
Is this a clue? It’s the mistyped link in the OP:
He’s just saying that there was a mis-typed link in the original post, which didn’t allow the picture to be shown. He has fixed the link to show the picture that didn’t make it into the first post. 🙂
By: DGAC - 11th February 2011 at 07:31
Richard
Could you please explain what is meant by “the clue is in the mis-typed link in the OP”?
By: |RLWP - 10th February 2011 at 13:10
Is this a clue? It’s the mistyped link in the OP:
Richard
By: thedawnpatrol - 10th February 2011 at 12:31
Hi DGAC
No, certainly not Spitfire.
This is certain to date back further, it is made of Mahogany, and would have come from a WW1 aircraft, it looks very much like BE2c or RE8.
As it has, RAF wings carved into it, I guess it would date from late 1918 or early 1920’s.
A very nice piece.
Jules
By: beachcomber - 10th February 2011 at 10:18
Spitfire prop unlikely
Hi there
I doubt very much this from a Spitfire I have a Rotol prop blade of the period and it is made up of lots of layers of wood glued together that is then shaped and then covered in a plastic coating, I would have thought it is from something older. Although don’t pretent to be an expert
Cheers
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February 10, 2011 at 10:01 am
