Unusual Heine Propeller

dbahn · 17 November 2005, 12:36 PM

It's a long shot, but does anyone have an idea what this propeller might have been used on?

It's 2.7m in length and is marked:

Heine Propeller
Stand 1220
N 133
Gepruft P&W

All of the Heine propellers I've seen have had more symetrical, straight blade patterns, which was more typical of most other German propellers.

R Pope · 17 November 2005, 02:48 PM

Most props had six or eight bolt holes, yours seems to have only two. ??

dbahn · 17 November 2005, 03:00 PM

Agreed. It's not actually my propeller, and the owner is going to look more closely at it this weekend. It might be a Rupp fastener, and I doubt that the two bolts holding it to the wall are passing through meaningful hub bolt holes.

rc.gardner · 18 November 2005, 04:29 AM

Hi Dave,

This seems to be a very early Heine prop, both from the shape, which has that 1912 look about it and from the serial number, N 233. By contrast I have just bought a 1918 Heine pusher prop [from a 260ps Maybach engine (and therefore probably from a late mark Gotha bomber)} which has the serial number N 24,365. However, I don't mean to suggest that all Heine serial nos are sequential because as I write, I recall that some 1917-18 Heine props had serial nos around 30,000. But both these examples suggest that N 233 would be early.

All the Heine WW1 props that I have seen have that plain shape that you refer to. Post-WWI they became curvaceous again.

I think this prop is too early for a Rupp fastener. I am under the impression that Feldwebel Rupp (I hope I have his rank correct?) did not devise his quick release fastening until early 1918?

I have seen several 1918 Heine props with no bolt holes but with a central boss hole. I suspect that these were intended for a Rupp fastener. I have also seen early props from 1912 and earlier with no bolt holes, where I have made the assumption that these civilian props were sold with 'blank' hubs to allow fitting to a range of different engines. Were this to apply to yours it would mean that yours is an unflown example?

It's a lovely prop!

I hope others can add to this subject. I find it very difficult to find definitive information on props.

With regards,

Bob Gardner

Dan_San_Abbott · 19 November 2005, 11:53 AM

Dave:
This Heine propeller has the blade shape of the Garuda propellers used on Fok.E. and early D.types that were 2500 and 2600mm in diameter. It seems very odd that there are only two bolt holes. I have not matched to any aircraft.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

20 November 2005, 07:02 AM

Looks to me like the bolt holes have been filled in.

F=MA

dbahn · 20 November 2005, 07:28 AM

They may have been, and I should know more about that in a few days. It also looks like there is evidence of a crush plate on the front of the hub.

dbahn · 21 November 2005, 03:46 AM

The owner's daughter in Germany got some more information over the weekend. It turns out that the prop was used for a 120 HP Argus engine, that the tips were cut down by 12 cm (which is faintly visible in the original picture) and that the original length was actually 2.65 m. In this additional picture, the 6 bolt holes are also clearly visible.

Sorry for the incomplete info in the first post. I just got the rest of it today.

rc.gardner · 21 November 2005, 12:06 PM

Mmm. Good photo and appears to be lovely condition. The 120ps Argus suggests that it dates from 1915 to 1916. This engine powered some Albatri BIIa and some of the Halberstadt DIII and CV. The six bolt holes suggest 1915 rather than 1916.

dbahn · 21 November 2005, 01:42 PM

Bob,
Thanks for the input. I would consider it in fabulous condition had not the ends been shortened, presumably because of damage to the tips (although it's possible it would be done intentionally to change its performance, such as raising rpms, but I think that's unlikely). I was asked by the daughter to estimate its value. What's your guess?