Charlie and Tupper England wrote:

I lost a piece of my Bernie Warnke prop yesterday afternoon.

This prop may have been a unique model. It has bent tips made of what
appears to be carbon fiber or some kind of high density plastic.

I recently noticed the white paint on the front of the prop cracking in
a line from leading to trailing edge, about 5" from the tip. I foolishly
assumed that it was a paint problem.

While doing the required pass down the grass strip prior to landing, I
lost the wood  & front half of the bent tip from paint crack out.
Fortunately, the pass was being made at medium speed due to gusty
conditions. Normal landing was made with no obvious damage to motor
mounts, cowling, etc.

The other tip has a paint crack in the same location, & the tip feels as
if it may be broken under the fiberglas wrap.

Bernie sold this prop to me as a 'new experimental design', so it may be
the only one in existence, but if you have a Warnke prop with bent tips,
check the tips carefully.

Charlie

RV-4

 
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