When ever I look at pictures of restored Spitfires or Hurricanes and the like, it is great to see how much work has been done on these planes to get them to look like they did during WW2. But then I see the props and there are yellow markings on them. I’m not talking about the yellow tips, but what look like makers markings further in towards the center.
What are these markings?
Did they have markings like these on the props during the war?
Did they even have the yellow tips? Or is this ‘elf and safety?
[ATTACH]185071[/ATTACH]
I’d be interested in your comments.
Tony.
By: Mark V - 29th May 2010 at 22:19
Did they even have the yellow tips? Or is this ‘elf and safety?
The yellow tips are correct for wartime spec, both RAF and USAAF fighters had similar 4″ deep yellow coloured tips applied to both faces of each blade. Interestingly some modern day overhaul shops dealing with US props omit the yellow tips on the face of the blades facing the pilot!
So what did you get on wartime props Bruce?
Tony
It was normally the coloured disc near the root and a white stencilled blade serial – no laquer or Rotol emblem – the latter was a post-war thing. Hopefully will try to do something to possibly rectify this situation eventually.
By: MerlinPete - 29th May 2010 at 17:29
See post 2 & 6 🙂
You beat me to it!
Pete
By: anneorac - 29th May 2010 at 11:09
See post 2 & 6 🙂
By: Tony at BH - 28th May 2010 at 23:08
So what did you get on wartime props Bruce?
Tony
By: Bruce - 28th May 2010 at 22:43
The blades are made by Hoffmann, but if they go through a Dowty approved shop in the UK, they are marked up as shown above.
These are NOT wartime markings, or even close, but they are what you get when you spend mucho pounds on a new propeller!
Bruce
By: anneorac - 28th May 2010 at 22:16
Modern repro prop blades, if Rotol types, are made by Hoffmann in Germany and there may be a company decal on the blade. However, all of the modern flyable Hoffmann Rotols I have seen have had the correct wartime markings faithfully reproduced.
Anon.
Hmmm…not quite. Rotol Spitfire blades were either Hydurlignam (Green disc) or more commonly Jablo blades (white or a colour between dull red and pink). Yellow marked Weybridge blades were only used on a few Spitfire for experimental purposes.
This thread has a few examples.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77470
Anne
By: Tony at BH - 28th May 2010 at 21:59
and there was me thinking it was just the manufactures marks on them. Brilliant!! Thanks guys.
Tony
By: TonyT - 28th May 2010 at 21:52
Glad to help out here we go………..
Sorry to get my ugly mug reflection on them 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 28th May 2010 at 21:13
Prop markings.
Yes, wartime props did have markings – especially the Rotol types, such as those in the picture.
The Rotol markings were basically information about that particular blade such as settings, serial numbers, part numbers and blade material, denoted by a coloured disc.
The de-Hav types often didn’t have anything but sometimes had a small de-H decal about blade centre.
Modern repro prop blades, if Rotol types, are made by Hoffmann in Germany and there may be a company decal on the blade. However, all of the modern flyable Hoffmann Rotols I have seen have had the correct wartime markings faithfully reproduced.
The yellow tips were standard across the entire range of airscrews from all manufacturers.
Anon.
By: MerlinPete - 28th May 2010 at 21:09
Hi Tony
This page from the manual explains most of it:
Click on it to open it then click on the new image to get it larger, otherwise you can`t read it!
Pete
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May 28, 2010 at 8:32 pm