Latest Work Completed Mantua, New Jersey
Original Site:
September 2004
E-mail: usav8or@yahoo.com
April 29, 2009 Fixed... or Constant Speed ?
A question all of us need to ask at one point or another. Do we want the lightness and uncomplicatedness of a fixed pitch prop or do we want the performance, complexity and weight of a constant speed prop ?
I'd love to bolt a constant speed prop on the front of the Jake but not I'm sure if I want all that weight at the front, plus, I'm not sure I "need" the performance of a constant speed. Hell... I was quite happy with the performance of my Taylorcraft which climbed at 600 fpm.
It'd be neat to climb at 4000 feet per minute, but... I think 3000 feet per minute would be screaming up like a home-sick angel. No ?
On these older radial engines, the constant speed prop of choice is the Hamilton Standard 2B20. Weighs in (don't quote me) around 120 pounds. If choosing a fixed pitch... wood or metal ? Wood is lighter. I won't be flying in the rain or keeping it outside so there isn't a chance of it getting damaged from rain drops. So... as of right now... I'll be searching for a wood prop. It'll weigh in around 25 pounds.
A few things to note if going with a fixed pitched prop on the Jacobs. The accessory drive, timer and govenor needs to be replaced with a second magneto. All that stuff I just mentioned is for the constant speed prop. Hanging a fixed pitched prop on the front also means that you'll need to be picking up a
prop hub (see picture to left) so that you can bolt it onto the front of the Jake. These run close to $850.00. (ouch!)
By the way... not to confuse things... there is also a ground adjustable prop.
more to come...
March 8, 2013 Fixed... yeah... I'm pretty sure it'll be fixed
I've been looking/researching a prop for the 755-A2 for awhile now. Up until the other week I thought that a custom prop would need to be made. All the research I did up to the point said that the only prop used on a Jacobs 755-A2 (300hp) engine was a constant speed prop.
Looking at this years EAA aircraft giveaway... a Stearman... I see that it has a fixed prop on a 300hp Jacobs. SWEET !!!. I've been meaning to call to see who I can speak to to see what prop is hanging on the business end of the biplane. Haven't yet...