GENERATING PROPELLER : AIR FORCE 1914 - 1918 : GERMANY

Wooden Propeller (500 mm diameter with blades 110 mm wide at deepest part.) Used to drive generators on German aircraft by wind power. The generators powered the radio and heated flying suits where applicable. A light green decal in the shape of a shield is on the outer face of each blade 60 mm from the end and central to the blade. The decal is 23 mm across the top and 25 mm in depth. It is light green in colour with a gold outline and bears the manufacturer's name - "Reschke" in gold - and gold monogram of a gold triangle with 'R" in gold in the centre. The following details are also impressed around the hub: "No. 20890" on one side and "TYPE AH D.R.G.M" on the other. The propeller is made from three laminations of wood and has a substantial chip in one blade. A circular metal plate of 40 mm diameter is set flush into the centre of the 68 mm diameter wooden boss on both sides and held in place by four screws that appear to go through the boss and through the rear metal plate. A 20 mm hexagonal bolt is set in the centre of the metal plate.

Wind driven generators were used by early aircraft to generate electricity to power their wireless transmitters and later in the war electrically heated flying clothes. Similarly, wind driven pumps were used to pump fuel from the main tanks to the gravity tanks that fed the engine.