An early French prop dating from c1915 in exceptional original condition; the best we have seen of this age.

Whereas the British method of training pilots was by dual control, the French Army preferred to let the student pilots practice on their own.  To this end a number of aircraft were modified with shortened wings or a different aerofoil section which restrained flight to a few feet above the ground.  Before WW1 they were generically called ‘Pingouins’ but from 1914 the term ‘Rouleur’ came into use, which translates into English as ‘wheeler.’

This prop carries a decal for the French maker Baratte who made Ratmanoff props under license.  We have not seen an example of his work before. It carries the serie no. YA, which indicates that it is a propeller designed by Ratmanoff for the Caudron G3 Ecole, and the Morane-Saulnier G17 and G23 monoplan Ecole. This type of prop was also fitted to the pre-war Bleriot Pingouin powered by the smaller 30hp Anzani engine.

The type of wood is not known but it is stained red.