This is the first time we have been able to offer a pair of props.  They were purchased at auction around 1987, where they were sold as a pair.  They are from a Mark II Vickers Vimy, a British heavy bomber from WW1 designed by RK Pearson to be capable of strategic bombing of Germany.  The Vimy first flew on 30 November 1917.  Only a few Mk IIs were made.

The third Vimy F.B.27 prototype numbered B9954 was powered by two 260 hp Fiat A-12 engines, which proved to be excellent, even more so when they were almost immediately upgraded to the 300 hp A 12 bis.  It was ordered in quantity as the Mk II.  However, the arrival of more powerful Rolls Royce Eagle engines of 360 hp led to the production of the Mark IV, which quickly superceded the Fiat powered Mk II.

Several manufacturers received contracts to build the Mk II.  Such was the confusion with the endemic shortage of aero-engines in 1918 that the numbers built with Fiat engines is not known.  Some were built with Maori or Puma engines.  Some completed examples awaiting engines were rebuilt to accept the RR Eagle engine as Mk IVs and issued with new serial numbers.  Probably less than twelve were completed.

The Mark IV had four bladed props whereas the Mark II had two bladed props.

These props are constructed of mahogany laminations with aircraft fabric doped to the blades for extra strength.

Although both props are identical and made to the same drawing number, A50, the different stamping of the data indicates that they were made by different makers, neither of which has left any sign of who they were.  Both props have dimensions listed in feet, rather than the usual mm, a characteristic of British marking during 1918.

One prop once had coat hooks added to make it a form of hall stand where hats and coats could be hung.  Later these were filled and we have left them as they are, just visible, because they are part of the prop's history.