OK I was up at Bassingbourne (station 121) last night as a guest of mini me aka Ragged Irregular 121 and we took time to take a look at the base memorial to the guys who were based there from the Mighty 8th.

The memorial had a prop off a B-17 and this got me wondering?

What weight were these props?

MIKE.

I was at Thorpe Abbotts today looking at a bent one they've got there wondering the same thing funnily enough! Pretty heavy I'd guess judging by the size of the prop dolly trailers they used to ferry them around.

I had a good search around the net last night and couldn't find any weights. I have the B-17 and Wright Cyclone engine manuals somewhere so I'm wondering if weights are mentioned in those?

Steve

I've got a AAF TM for aircraft propellors but don't recall any weights mentioned
I'll have a neb when i get home

Doing a quick calculation from the B-17G E&M Manual data.....

A: Complete Wing plus engines and landing gear: 10547 lbs gross.
B: Complete Wing plus engines, landing gear and propellers: 11403 lbs gross.

Subtracting A from B and dividing by two gives a prop assembly weight of 428 lbs gross.

Hope that helps,
PB

We have a complete three bladed prop & HH prop hub we recovered from 'Sleepytime Gal' out of the crash site of Capt Hutchisons 385th BG B-17 which crashed at Reedham Marshes, these were put in the hut at Rougham the Friday before Op Monsoon, so if anyone wants to have a go at lifting them to get an idea then I'd really love to watch.....I think there's usually a Medical re-enactment outside the door should you need your discs popping back....