Hello ALl,

I have always known that 3 bladed props. are usually a no-no since they are very inefficient. I finish building a VQ bf-109 with an os 46a.x. and currently have an 11x6 2 blade on it. I want a little more scale look with a 3 bladed is there any spinner prop combo that would work nice with the os 46? Also I would need a rather large spinner for a 40 size airplane 3 3/8" diameter. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!
Brad

You won't get anything that looks too scale with an os engine. If you really really want to have something closer to scale, you have only three choices. From least expensive to most expensive, the choices are:

1, a static prop when not flying.

2, an RCV 60SP engine which is internally geared 2:1 and will turn a 13.4x13x5 three blade prop.

3, go electric with a motor/battery combo with enough torque and RPM to match your desired prop. I don't know electric motors and batteries to recommend a specific combo.

Scott

There is no problem going with a three bladed prop and spinner combo.

Yes there is a LITTLE loss of efficiency but it will be barely noticible.



There are many available props and spinners that are suitable.

Check out Tower and Horizon to start with.

We are running a 10x8 3 blade prop on a Evolution .455 & it works good.

I have seen planes with 3-blade props, and I noticed very little difference between them and their 2-blade counterparts. In fact, they make sense if you want better clearance. I saw one on a 60 sized P-40 with a 4-stroke. I swear that thing could pull stumps, it definitely had enough torque.

NorfolkSouthern

Don't get me wrong. You can certainly fly your plane with the OS engine and a three blade prop. But the prop will be pretty small. For a 60" Me109, a scale prop would be somewhere in the 16" diameter range, whereas the OS will want to turn a 3 blade somewhere in the 10" range

Scott

The "myth" about the inefficiency of 3-bladed props has probably been perpetuated by the Evolution TPS engine setup that comes with many Hangar 9 RTF trainers. It's a good engine, but it comes with a 10x4 3-blade prop that is specifically designed for slower flying. Folks switch them out for an 11x6 or 11x7 2-blade propeller and suddenly have 50% more power, so they naturally assume that 3-bladed props are generally no good. It's just the pitch, not the number of blades, that is the issue.

You should be able to try a Master Airscrew 10x7 3-blade prop with a 3" 3-blade spinner. A .55 AX would turn a 11x7/11x8 3-blade prop, and a .70 4-stroke would let you turn a 12x6 or 12x8 3-blade prop. Dubro is the only manufacturer of spinners that commonly has 3-blade spinners available. I would assume that Hangar 9 makes them in a variety of sizes as well, but I don't usually see them on the shelf at my local Hobbytown USA.

Good luck and good shopping!

Was looking for 3-bladed props & spinners for a nitro-planes P-38 (little one, 52" span, takes 1 3/4" spinners). Found that Mecoa now makes the 3-bladed Zinger (JOZ) spinners; you can also get them from SIG, in sizes from 2 - 2 1/2". Now if only I can find a 1 3/4" red 3-bladed spinner!

-RB8

Your wish is my command!

Click [link=http://www.truturn.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?p_id=tt1753b:13&ppinc=spinners130&exact_ match=on]HERE![/link]

At the bottom click on Anodized Red.

At $40 each your spinners will be worth almost as much as the airplane itself.

But it will sure look nice!

its a 2" spinner but there pretty good quality and there aluminum,and less pointy than the Tru-turn http://www.racingdevil.com/product.php?category_id=105 I got a couple of the 3" ones for my P-40 and they look good and for 10.50 hard to beat that price for a aluminum spinner.
some pics of my P40 with the 3" spinner with a 3 blade 14-7 mas prop.