Lights on C119 Hamilton Standard Prop

[Mike Eggen]

My instructor in my Power plant class has a prop off a C-119C that has small lights at the base of the propeller blades and he won't divulge what they're for if we can't figure out what their purpose is. I suspect the prop is off a plane he flew at Hemet as a fire bomber. Anyone Know? I win 600 Gazillion if I come up with the correct answer, you get half!

 

[PC12Cowboy]

ice lights

 

[pilotyip]

where is avbug when you need him?

 

[Mike Eggen]

PC12Cowboy, I thought that also-they look like they are wired into the boots,but that was shot down. Pilotyip, my thoughts exactly.

 

[acpilot]

My instructor in my Power plant class has a prop off a C-119C that has small lights at the base of the propeller blades and he won't divulge what they're for if we can't figure out what their purpose is. I suspect the prop is off a plane he flew at Hemet as a fire bomber. Anyone Know? I win 600 Gazillion if I come up with the correct answer, you get half!

Could it be an indication that anti-ice boots were functioning? Incomplete circuit = no light?

This is just a guess, but it makes sense to me.

 

[Mike Eggen]

Yeah it made sense to me too, but that's not it

 

[Donsa320]

My instructor in my Power plant class has a prop off a C-119C that has small lights at the base of the propeller blades and he won't divulge what they're for if we can't figure out what their purpose is. I suspect the prop is off a plane he flew at Hemet as a fire bomber. Anyone Know? I win 600 Gazillion if I come up with the correct answer, you get half!

Are you sure that is a C-119C propeller blade? I did not think any "C" models made it into fire bomber service, only "G" 's which would have an Aero-products prop. The Navy Neptune did use that same Hamilton Standard prop as the C-119C, however. Maybe an ex Navy guy has a clue in that case.
The very last C-119's in service did get some 3 bladed Ham-standard props off of retired C-121 Connies. If this is one of those maybe some Connie guy knows.

DC

 

[Mike Eggen]

Actually I'm not sure. There is a placard that says it is. It's a four blade not three, with
hollow blades. I'll find out more details next week

 

[Donsa320]

Actually I'm not sure. There is a placard that says it is. It's a four blade not three, with
hollow blades. I'll find out more details next week

Rog... I checked with an old friend who has just ferried the last two flyable C-119's to their final resting places. One was a "G" the other an "F" but with the 3 blade replacement prop. He also has flown Connies and has no idea what these mystery lights are.

BTW the Boeing 377/C-97's also used that hollow steel prop. I flew the KC-97 but it did not have the lights.

We look forward to the answer.

DC

 

[transpac]

Are you sure that is a C-119C propeller blade? I did not think any "C" models made it into fire bomber service, only "G" 's which would have an Aero-products prop. The Navy Neptune did use that same Hamilton Standard prop as the C-119C, however. Maybe an ex Navy guy has a clue in that case.
The very last C-119's in service did get some 3 bladed Ham-standard props off of retired C-121 Connies. If this is one of those maybe some Connie guy knows.

DC

Navy P2V-4/5/6/7 prop blades didn't have any such light.

 

[Donsa320]

Navy P2V-4/5/6/7 prop blades didn't have any such light.

I did not think so.

I wonder if it was some locally devised mod to detect a huge problem that hollow steel blade has, namely bad nicks that allowed moisture to get into the hollow space. They had a kind of mesh, nylon filler in there. That mesh could capture moisture, freeze, expand and cause a bulge and then a blade failure. It was a big problem in Korea on the C-119C on the rough strips over there. It is posslble someone decided to pressurize the blades with N2 as was done on some helicopters in attempt to detect cracks.

It is a stretch, but....<grin>

DC

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Are you sure that is a C-119C propeller blade? I did not think any "C" models made it into fire bomber service, only "G" 's which would have an Aero-products prop.

Hemet Valley operated some C-119C's (4360's, Ham-Stan props, J-34) into the early 80's. I think one is on display at a museum at Fox Field in Lancaster.

"Lights at the base of the propeller blades?" Never in 40 years have I seen or heard of such a thing! If I had to guess, I'd go with the "N2, low-press blade crack detector" function like they have on some helo's. But even that's a stretch.

 

[Donsa320]

Hemet Valley operated some C-119C's (4360's, Ham-Stan props, J-34) into the early 80's. I think one is on display at a museum at Fox Field in Lancaster.

"Lights at the base of the propeller blades?" Never in 40 years have I seen or heard of such a thing! If I had to guess, I'd go with the "N2, low-press blade crack detector" function like they have on some helo's. But even that's a stretch.

Hey, thanks for the "update" on the "C" having been used out there. As for the lights, ditto.

DC

 

[Kaman]

might have something to do with the fact that some of the C-119s were equipped with electric vs. hydraulic props...I am just guessing on that. Not that it has any bearing on this discussion, but my Dad flew the C-119 for about 10 years in the USAF. Not his favorite...underpowered and those electric props were a constant concern from issues with runaway RPM issues.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[Mike Eggen]

Hemet Valley operated some C-119C's (4360's, Ham-Stan props, J-34) into the early 80's. I think one is on display at a museum at Fox Field in Lancaster.

"Lights at the base of the propeller blades?" Never in 40 years have I seen or heard of such a thing! If I had to guess, I'd go with the "N2, low-press blade crack detector" function like they have on some helo's. But even that's a stretch.

My instructor flew out of Hemet in the '70s so Ithink the lights must be somthing specific to fire fighters. They do look like they're connected to the deice boots.
the sockets are at the base of the blades