ROTOL 3, 4 & 5 BLADES
Complete ROTOL Propeller Manufacture
Highly Authentic Spitfire Propeller Blades for 3, 4 & 5 Blade Propellers
Precise balancing
Correct and authentic 1940’s blade markings
UK CAA approved for Hoffmann Spitfire blade overhaul
Full OEM original drawing and document archive
Full UK-CAA approved in house manufacture and overhaul facility for ROTOL variable pitch propellers
Reproduction ROTOL Propeller Blades
Hercules Propellers are Rotol Spitfire propeller hub and blade manufacturing specialists. The blades we manufacture are constructed according to the original Rotol drawings. All of our parts are British made, within 10 miles of the original Rotol factory.
Hercules produce immensely authentic blades which are are constructed from Hydulignum, the original material used by Rotol. Our blades are true to the WW2 construction design and aerodynamics. The steel root adaptors are threaded onto the blade roots, just how ROTOL intended.
Hercules Spitfire propeller blades have no restriction on RPM or horsepower.
ROTOL
Hercules have access to a vast archive of component drawings and specifications.
Our UK CAA design and production approvals along with our in-house precision machining capabilities enables us to produce the full inventory of spare parts for Rotol propellers, identical to the originals.
Blades
Hercules Spitfire propeller blades are approved by the UK-CAA and are included in the Dowty Rotol Service Bulletin as an original manufacturer’s approved alternative to the originals. During our product development, extensive material strength testing was carried out and a full instrument flight test plan completed. It has been noted by all pilots who have flown Hercules’ Spitfire blades how smoothly they run.
Hercules Spitfire propeller blades have no restriction on RPM or horsepower.
Hydulignum
Hydulignum Process
Our immensely authentic blades are constructed from Hydulignum, the original material used by ROTOL and are true to the WW2 construction design and aerodynamics.
Developed for propeller manufacture by Hordern-Richmond in the 1930's, Hydulignum consists of very thin veneers of beech wood impregnated with phenolic resin before being compressed and densified in a heated press to create an original composite type material with very high tensile strength for its weight. Our hydulignum is produced in accordance with the original Rotol specifications and is extensively strength tested by us.
CNC
Computer Aided Manufacturing
(CAM) Simulation
Once the new propeller design has been finalised, a 3D CAD model is created. The CAD model is processed to create the programs that the CNC machine follows when making the propeller.
If you have a specific requirement for a propeller to optimise your aircraft’s performance, whether your machine is a vintage pioneer or a composite speed machine, please contact us, we can design and manufacture a propeller just for you.
Painting and Finishing
Correct and Authentic 1940’s Blade Markings
We finish our Spitfire blades with the correct and authentic markings from original Rotol design documentation.
ROTOL Balancing
Precise Balancing
During manufacture, our Spitfire blades are constantly checked against a master weight to ensure that the set are precisely matched. This makes for an extremely smooth running propeller - something that Hercules blades have become renowned for.
Hercules blades are also aerodynamically balanced in accordance with the Rotol design data. Because our blades are so accurately made, no setting correction angle is needed. Hercules blades are always set to 'NORMAL' meaning that no compensation is needed for manufacturing inaccuracies. This adds to the running smoothness.
Hoffmann Blades
Hercules have a UK CAA Airworthiness Approval Note (AAN) that enables us to legally overhaul Spitfire and Hurricane blades produced by Hoffmann. Our in-depth procedure includes NDT of the blade adaptors and static resonance tests to asses the blade's structural integrity. Our approval for Hoffmann blades includes provision for minor repairs and complete paint re-finishing.
Delivery & Installation
