ORIGINAL: Missileman
Never heard that before, some props pull less air so you can slow down more but that is diameter and pitch not number of blades.
The power of a prop is directly related to it's diameter. You normally need to run a smaller diameter 3 blade prop vs. a 2 blade prop. The prop "disc" not only creates thrust, it creates drag. A larger diameter low pitch prop will slow you down.
Some people say 3 blades are less efficient than 2 blades and I think some testing on air turbulence over the blades may tend to prove this.
This is largely true. At the small size props we run, three or more blades will reduce efficiency. Consider the control line speed guys who run at 30,000 rpm. They will almost always use a single blade prop.
All that said it depends more on the airplane and pilots skills than the prop. You can only slow a plane down so much before it stalls and that is certainly not good.
I have only used a 3 blade prop on one airplane, P-51 PTS by Hangar 9, and then switch to a 2 blade. I never noticed a difference in the way it landed. Again, I had to keep some speed up on the plane to keep from stalling.
Again, mostly true since the airplane can only slow down to the point the wings fail to provide lift. Then you get a stall. Biggest advantage of using a 3 blade prop is you typically gain ground clearance.