old Propellor found in San Francisco Bay

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 1:22 am

Received a request for some help on identifying a propellor found in San Francisco Bay in 1947. Anyone have any serious ideas. This is going to be part of a PBS documentary.

Here are the known details and pictures:

We took a series of images of my propeller that, hopefully, will give you some idea of what it looks like. I tried to get a close up of the Japanese characters, but they are very hard to photograph (although you can see them easily with the naked eye). We only got a few of the characters to show up on the camera, but they actually march across the top of the hub. We also took some measurements for you to give you some idea of the size of the prop:

Overall length (tip to tip) 101"
Width of the blades 11"
Diameter of the hub 9-1/2"

The former owner of Schellville Airport (who was a cabinetmaker) told
me the prop was made from Philippine mahogany. The leading edges of the blades are brass.

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 2:19 am

Hi Roger, have you had anyone who could decipher the Japanese
characters take a look at it yet? If you make a "pencil rubbing" of the
numbers and characters it may be easier to transport for interpretation.

Forgotten Field · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 6:50 am

Very good resource is http://www.j-aircraft.com if you haven't found it yet.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Hello:

It's probably off of a "Glen" or "Alf" seaplane; both were japanese scout planes of similar type that dropped bombs on Oregon.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

If you can trace the characters on a piece of paper or get a rubbing my wife can translate.

Post here or e-mail to me.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Hi guys:

Talked to Mama San, and the clearly written vertical characters read "Going Up to the sky".

Joe Scheil · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 3:00 pm

Doubt this is a Japanese propeller. Probably a prop off of a PT-19 or something like it under 300 hp with Japanese Characters on it.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

No Joe:

It looks like the prop's dimensions are inscribed in metric units, how would you explain that?

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Hello:

Here's a link to the Glen seaplane:

http://www.ijnafpics.com/JB&W4/E14Y-13.jpg The prop size looks close. It's most likely from either a Glen, or Dave.

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 6:23 pm

Thanks for the replies, this propellor isn't in my possesion. It's owner is in Oregon, and they are trying to identify it for a show called History Detectives. I have forwarded them this link................Roger

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

According to the Black Vault Forums website:

Quote:

The nine subs were strategically located--based on prewar intelligence--to give them the best opportunity to attack the shipping lanes most commonly used by American merchantmen. Four subs, I-19, I-15, I-25 and I-26, were ordered to the most important locations: I-19 off Los Angeles Harbor, I-15 off San Francisco Bay, I-25 off the mouth of the Columbia River and I-26 off the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the important waterway leading into and out of the port of Seattle. The remaining five subs, assigned to locations that had been deemed less crucial, would nonetheless see the most action: I-9 off Cape Blanco, Ore.; I-17 off Cape Mendocino, Calif.; I-23 off Monterey Bay, Calif.; I-21 off Estero Bay, Calif.; and I-10 off San Diego.

Additionally all of these subs carried a Glen float plane. I suppose a floatplane could've crashed in the water. It's a possibility.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 7:48 pm

Or the prop was damaged and tossed overboard when replaced...

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Hi Chris:

It would be funny to find out really happened? Did the plane land in choppy seas and get damaged? How will we ever know? Maybe some old salty Japanese sailor knows..

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2005 7:57 pm

before the war the japanese were quite motivated in the aviation record breaking department. they organized a number of record breaking attempts, perhaps this a relic from 1 of those events. regards, tom

David_Aiken · **Joined:** Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:31 pm **Posts:** 403

Roger Cain wrote:

Thanks for the replies, this propellor isn't in my possesion. It's owner is in Oregon, and they are trying to identify it for a show called History Detectives. I have forwarded them this link................Roger

Konnichiwa Roger San,
Dai toa senso kokan senshi....E14Y1...NOT!
My many sensei can help.
SCAN of rubbing is better than photo
Note my own research into Japanese aviation and relics:
http://www.flightjournal.com/articles/l ... rling1.asp

http://www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi- ... ct=SF;f=11

http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelairc ... mples.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelairc ... n1990.msnw
Kampai,
David Aiken... a Director: Pearl Harbor History Associates, Inc. http://www.pearlharbor-history.org/
PearlHarborHistory@hotmail.com

Warbird Information Exchange

old Propellor found in San Francisco Bay

Who is online