One thing I love about the airplane community, the people are visionaries, full of ideas and open to new concepts and possibilities. So heres one that will no boubt take some thinking.

The idea is machining a 3 or 4 blade (aluminum) propeller hub for scale warbirds with replacable blades. The type of blades that will be used is going to govern how the hub is machined.

The biggest diffuculty is the blades. Can any blades from production propellers be cutoff and turned down to be fitted into the hub or will new composite blades have to be made. (yes i know how complex this project is going to be, no lectures please)

Would a composite blade work? how would it be constructed? Use a mold to lay-up the composite blades one at a time?

Going to need some help from any of you out there who have experience with composites and design to get these blades figured out. I think this is a very chanllenging and worthwile project.




There i was, at 30 feet when..............