Prop. from Wake Island

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GI.
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Prop. from Wake Island

Post by GI. » Tue Oct 24, 2017 2:59 am

I brought this prop. back from Wake Island in 1972, on a large cargo acft. on a return trip from Vietnam, one of the guys on wake found it in a lagoon while diving near drifter's reef [Bar], the only marking's I can find are on a part of the prop. dome, the small mark look's like a Japanese mark of some kind ?what do you think, any comment's on what kind of acft. it came off of ?
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:51 am

A lot of Wildcats got busted props on Wake.
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by W. Winget » Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:29 am

More helpful, visit this marking Aviation Archeology website:
http://aviationarchaeology.com/src/astamps.htm
Likely US made, just need to figure which stamp is above the "7"
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by W. Winget » Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:04 am

Better yet:
Hamilton Standard (compare the "barrel"):
Image
Now I can't spend time to say Japs did not use copied US material or look up the Hamilton Standard for shxxs and Giggles, but I can bet it's a USA prop.
V/R W Winget
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by GI. » Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:21 am

Winget,
Thank's for all that info. esp the pic. of the stamps, I know it's hard to see the stamp on my pic. but it look's like a Y then a N connected to a K, not very clear ? I could not find one like it on the stamp marking page.
I think you are right about it being a Hamilton Standard, it could have came off of a B-17, B-24, fighter's, bomber's cargo, or many other's of that era, it did have a slinger ring for prop. deicing behind the prop. but it rusted away years ago, but most eng's of that time did have one.
Remaining bolts are to rusty to tell if they are metric or standard.
I don' think it could have come off of a Wild Cat, [diff. prop.] but this type prop. was used on the the Hell Cat, but that would have been later on in the war, but it could have happened later on. don't know, I guess I'll never know for sure.
Thank's for taking the time to look up that great info. I'll go back over the marking's a few more times.
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by W. Winget » Tue Oct 24, 2017 2:47 pm

Other sites talk of serial numbers being traced back to the plane, hard to believe but they can in some cases. you might find one on each blade base area, or the hub, but you'd likely have to take it apart. I think C47's had them as well, do you recall anything the diver may have said like it was a fighter or twin engine, etc.
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by GI. » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:08 pm

The diver found it in 1972, which was long after the clean up from WW-2, he felt it was just missed, look's like it was sheared off from the eng. after what ever acft. it was on by the way the blades were pulled forward, meaning the acft. still had power on it when it hit the water, they prob. found the acft. but missed the prop. on clean up it could have been some dist. away from the acft.
I don't think there were to many C-47's in that area at that time due to the C-47's fuel cap. in 1942, I think the bladder and binson tank's came later for that bird, I'm pretty sure the only acft. on wake was some Wild Cats when the Japanese's took over, which made me believe it could have been Japanese.
it is not a Wild Cat prop.
JUST my opinion, if it had been a crash after the war, I don't think they would have left the prop. there and just removed the acft, minus the prop.
I think it was just a missed relic left over from WW-2, now what kind of acft...... I guess I will never know, but it's fun to think about.
Again, thank's for your help.
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by Wolfman » Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:57 am

Flash back !!
Been to Wake Island.
After my year of fun in the swamp, the 707 I rode home on stopped there for ???????
Thanksgiving Day. Nov. 1970.
Wasn't there long.
They let us off the plane but could not leave the parking lot. One building with a small sign that read, " Welcome to Wake Island". One lone jeep sitting in the parking lot. I have a picture of it. 35 MM.
I remember the runway went from one shore line to another. On landing, just when we thought we were going to need life jackets, there was a flash of runway under the plane and the squawk of rubber. And a big sigh of relief !
Take off was not much better. The plane was loaded. No empty seats. The nose rotated up and POOF! more water.
Must have been like landing on an aircraft carrier.
Didn't see much and it wasn't very big. Certainly, was not little Las Vegas !
Can't imagine being stationed there.
But, when it was the only fuel stop in a big ocean, it was a hot topic in WWII.
Next stop Honolulu and then Seattle, Wa, USA.
That was a long ride but sure was glad to be back !!
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by W. Winget » Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:12 am

I guess I will never know, but it's fun to think about
Pass the serial number of the hub/blade/anything over to the guys that do the research for fun, and they will tell you just what plane it was, who was flying it, where and when it crashed, why (I'd say buillet holes) and such.
The search just started, they "like" finding out info like this, it's all pieces of a big puzzle. Maybe it's George Bush Seniours prop...ok, that's a stretch, but someone out there has a record of what the prop went on if you give them a few numbers.
Hamilton is still in existance, they were not bombed and still make props so they have the records...drop them an e-mail.
We'd all like to hear the resto of the story.
V/R W,Winget
Last edited by W. Winget on Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by clintm20 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:45 pm

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Re: Prop. from Wake Island

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:29 am

Aircraft that had the smaller diameter tooth pick like 3 blade Hamilton Standard were the SBD, C-47, PBY, B-24, B-17, and maybe the P&W powered FM Wildcat.
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