Cor…that was a bit of an effort! Thank you everyone.

Anne

Cor…what a cracking shot. Thanks Paul

Anne

A few quick points.

The prop has no starter dog which rules out a large number of 1930’s props.

If prop had come from a Ketrel powered aircraft it would turn the same direction.

I cant see any hand holds which suggests we are looking at the starboard side of the aircraft. The lack of venturi would also point to the above but it’s very probable that it would have been removed.

Last point, you can’t fit a constant speeding prop to a Merlin II although I’m not sure about a counter balanced VP prop.

Anne

Thank you Mr. Johnstone. So what do you think people, is it a filter or is it just a tree in the background? I have to say I’m not sure.

Anne

It is 277, no RAF Serial visible but if you have an Air Pictorial from November 1983 and look at page 427 you can have a look for yourself. It is very hard to tell from the angle the shot is taken at but it does look to me like there is the start of a volkes filter.

Anne

Just a thought. Could it be one of the 7 ex RAF machines from first production batch which were handed to the SAAF in 1939. The filter could have been added later but there would have been little point in removing a perfectly usable Merlin II just so you could add a constant speeding prop.

As I say, just a thought.

Anne

I really should check things before I post. The Rotol manual will tell you all you need to know but if I had looked at my Hurri Mk.II manual (AP 1564B Vol 1) I would have noticed, in Section 5 Removal and Assembly Operations, the following.

8. Removal of spinner (Rotol type).- The spinner shell is secured by six lock pins to the back plate and may be removed by turning the six lock pins to the unlocked position and withdrawing the spinner forwards. The flexible ring may be removed from the back plate by unlocking and removing six nuts.

I’m not sure if that helps!

Anne

Splendid stuff. One of my all time fav aircraft.

Anne