ID this propellor?

[Dave Homewood]

My late Dad's model workshop has always had a propellor on the wall. It was given to him by our neighbour and friend Pat Monk, who got it for Dad from Pacific Aerospace when Pat was Chief Designer. I believe it was a time expired or damaged example, and thus useless.

I was in his workshop this week and decided to take some photos as I have always wondered what exactly it is from. Any ideas? CT-4? Fletcher? Something else? Dad was given it in the early 1980's when he built the workshop onto the back of the garage.

This is it on the wall (err, the top one, not the little wooden one!)


A close up of the hub


The manufacturer's label appears on both blades.


Any info gratfully received

[Bruce]

It is a McCauley test club propeller. It would not have been fitted to any aircraft as such, rather it is used after engine overhauls to ensure engines are producing the correct power output. It is fixed pitch, and has a very coarse pitch. it is calibrated on an engine of known horsepower by cutting of the tips until the correct static RPM at max power is acheived. the power output of subsequent engines it is run on can be determined by the RPM achieved with this prop. Sorry it doesnt have an exciting past life as a flyer - but it would have been fitted to a fair few engines in its time. I'd guess it would be for running Continental IO-520s of the older Fletchers, but thats just a guess.....

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Bruce. So, might it be rare? Or are they common? Any idea of value? (not that we'll ever sell it)

[Bruce]

I wouldnt say rare, but uncommon in so far as test clubs dont get retired very often, therefore to have one on a wall is a little different. Wooden test clubs generally find a market for use on airboats, and if the use of a metal one is discontinued it's generally the result of damage or failure (I have seen a wooden club on an IO-720 come apart in the test cell at Aeromotive- certainly dangerous!) this one has no apparent damage so may have come from the old James Aviation / NZAI engine shop perhaps once all the fletchers went to Lycoming power. No idea of value, it would depend on whether it was serviceable or not....