I own two 4' Beechcraft airplane propellers made of wood from Wichita,
Kansas.  US Patten#2000368656, serial# 1(?)23.  What type of wood is
the propeller made of?  What is the name of the plane the propeller
fits on?  Where can I buy a model airplane kit that matches the plane
my propellers fit on?  The propellers have a painted metal, yellow tip
and one edge of each propeller has a metal strip along one side.

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Request for Question Clarification by byrd-ga on 23 Oct 2003 10:21 PDT

Hi dizzy1,

The patent number you gave is not a valid number according to the U.S.
Patent and Trademark office.  I tried entering it several ways.  A
search leaving out the zeroes returned a related patent, but it's for
a "nonferrous propeller blade retention" device, not an actual
propeller per se.  Could you have another look at the propeller for
any other possible identifying information?  The more you can find and
tell us, the better the chance that someone might be able to help you
run down some information.

Thanks,
Byrd

Thanks

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Clarification of Question by dizzy1-ga on 23 Oct 2003 12:12 PDT

Manufactured under USPat. No. 2,368,656
Part #R201-215-102

I can't read the serial#  It looks like a 1 followed by a large space,
then the numbers 923 (not real clear)

Thanks!

Dizzy1 --

I've flown into Oshkosh many times alongside Beechcraft owners, even
if it is Brand X.  They have a very active owners group and I'd
suggest posting a note here to find someone that may have first-hand
knowledge:
http://beechcraft.org/mailman/listinfo/beech-owners

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA
www.mooneycaravan.com

Hi Dizzy1,

I could be wrong, but it seems unlikely that you will be able to
identify your propellers without taking them to an expert for closer
examination.

As I said, the patent number does not refer to the propeller itself,
but to a device for holding the blades in place, likely the hub
assembly or part of it.  This patent was issued in 1945 to two
independent inventors who indicated their willingness to share their
invention with the government, so it could have been used in any
number of propellers made by different manufacturers.  Here's a link
to the patent office homepage if you'd like to check for yourself:
http://www.uspto.gov/  Note that if you want to see specifics for this
patent, you will have to download and install a viewer as the full
text for this patent isn't available online. Just click on the "help"
link and they'll talk you through it.

The "part number" you list may not be a part number at all, but could
be what is referred to as a "design number," and the "serial number"
may be something else as well.  I did send an inquiry on your behalf
to a propeller expert (website: http://www.woodenpropeller.com ), and
he was good enough to reply.

His interest, however, is in early (WWI) propellers and he said that
he doesn't know a whole lot about later (WWII and post-war) ones. 
However, he did say that he's seen propellers similar to what you
describe on Beech aircraft before, and that it sounds to him like you
have a couple of variable pitch props.  He also said it's likely
they're made of laminated birch.  But without a model number or the
name of the propeller manufacturer, it is likely going to be difficult
to impossible to ID those props for you, or to know the exact type of
aircraft from which they came.

Sorry I was unable to help.  Perhaps another Researcher might have
more luck.  Or you might follow Omnivorous-ga's suggestion and contact
the Beechcraft owners' group for possible leads.

Best of luck,
Byrd