Warbird Information Exchange

Might also have been a P-51 in Japan having it's prop changed when, just for fun, they stuck a Japanese prop on it and took it's picture. I've seen sillier things done by bored mechanics.

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

When the Whittingtons first restored their P-51H it made an appearance at Oshkosh around 1980. A couple of months later they put a Dowty Rotol five bladed prop on it and raced it at Reno. The prop failed and they crash landed off field. It looked great with a five bladed prop. Did Dowty Rotol or anyone else make experimental props?

Sopwith wrote:



Answer: yes, of course!

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Kevin McCartney

Thank you for your answer

Just a guess; Immediate postwar Japan had U.S. occupying forces inhabiting a former Japanese base where there were some Shinden type propellors. The P-51D in the photo seems to be a late model with bomb racks and rocket rails, etc. With peace existing the P-51D was getting a prop replacement and someone thought it would be cool to take a moment to see if the Japanese prop would fit. One of the things we required in the surrender was for the Japanese to remove the props from their aircraft. They would've been laying around or in storage .

If you look at the chord of the Shinden prop, it's rather broad and straight along both edges for over half the blade; however, the Ki 93 props have a distinct curvature on the leading and trailing edges which matches perfectly with the one mounted on that Mustang. Someone else pointed out the prop tips have the typical Japanese yellow warning stripe just inboard of the tip itself... and lastly, the Ki 93 props would already be set up as a tractor unit rather than a pusher unit.

conclusion: I'd say it's a Ki 93 prop. But the bigger questions are: 1) why, and 2), did they actually try to fly it?

Absolutely fascinating find, and I hope someone can turn up more information on this install!

Lynn

EDIT: Just noticed this is one of the VLR birds (the forward SCR-522 antenna is visible between the drooped inner gear bay doors)... might that narrow down the possible suspects for a unit assignment?

What? Mechanics would never do such as silly a thing as put an OX5 on a Staggerwing...

(Source: Aerofiles)

...or bolt two R-4360s together...

(Source: Aircraft Engine Historical Society)

...or place a C85 in front of a Corsair...

(Source: Self)

They would never stand for something like that!

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

It did look good with the 5 blade.

It actually got bent with a normal Aeroproducts -H prop, in 1979 at Reno. I seem to remember it as a prop governor failure, but not sure. It was a rather poorly handled Mayday and the failure happened in a bad place on the course. He landed downhill and very hot and groundlooped to keep from runnning off the runway.

Skurich repaired and restored the airplane, and Bill Whittington raced it again in 1983, I think. It actually ran very well with the 5 blade -- qualified at 371 mph and ran the Silver Race at 394 mph. These are speeds well up in P-51D with -9 Merlin with ADI and spray bars territory.

Is this a Spitfire prop?

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Neal Nurmi

---Wingman Photo---

I seem to recall hearing that The Whittington Bros. Had the 5 blade prop that was actually from the XP-51G.

XP-51G prop as noted by DH-82EH. Remember that the Griffon went around the "wrong" way and so the prop would not work on a Mustang.

XP-51G prop as noted by DH-82EH. Remember that the Griffon went around the "wrong" way and so the prop would not work on a Mustang.

An obviously good point -- I had not thought that through. So I wonder where this prop was from 1945 til the early 1980s, and where it is now. The Whittingtons were an odd and secretive bunch -- they spent a lot of money on warbird wheeling and dealing over the years, and had all sorts of stuff stashed away all over the place.

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Neal Nurmi

---Wingman Photo---

Pretty easy mistake to make Neil . I wondered for ages why all the Sea furies converted to U.S. powerplants ran a four, instead of the five blade prop
Eventually, the light switched on . Left hand tractor.
Love all your photos Neil.

Thanks for posting the pics of the P-51H with five bladed prop. Sure looks fast.