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Aircraft propellers convert the power produced by the aircraft’s engine into thrust. Most early manufacturers produced fixed-pitch propellers from wood. Initially, they were created from single pieces of wood. As propeller technology advanced, manufacturers began to laminate thin layers of wood together. This prevented warping and enhanced strength. Most wood propellers were constructed from the preferred hardwoods of walnut, birch, oak, or mahogany. Often, a metal sheath was added to the leading edge of each blade for extra durability. This helped protect the wood from damage by rocks and other debris that was common on the dirt airstrips of the 1910s and 20s. This Paragon Striker propeller was designed for use with a Curtiss OX-5 engine and was produced of oak by the American Propeller and Manufacturing Company (APMC), of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1909 by patent lawyer and engineer Spencer Heath (1876–1963), APMC grew to become one of the leading American manufacturers of propellers in the U.S. by the late 1910s. “Going the Distance: Endurance Aircraft Engines and Propellers of the 1910s and 20s” is on display pre-security in the Aviation Museum and Library and online at: https://bit.ly/EnduranceEngines
This image was posted on August 09, 2022.