AVIA B-534 – Wooden propeller

Czechoslovak propeller from 1930s for the last biplane fighter aircraft

Avia is a former aircraft manufacturer established in 1918 right after the Great War in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). Czech engineers proceeded with aircraft production based uppon previous pre-war experiences and knowledge gained mainly from French and Austrian manufacturers. From 1918 untill 1939, Avia (there were other aircraft manufacturers in Czechoslovakia) produced several hundred types of airplanes, from fighters to heavy bombers. They formed the Czechoslovak Air Force, which never actually participated the WWII, the exception being the AVIA B-534.

AVIA B-534 was an advanced fighter aircraft, which may be compared to the Gloster Gladiator. Before the war in 1939, during the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Hitler’s army, Czech pilots turned on the engines of B-534s and flew away from their homeland to Poland, then later to France and the UK to fight against the Axis. During the WWII, the airplanes which remained in hangars were often used by German and Slovak pilots.

The largest propeller from our offer

The propeller has a very massive center section. While the Sopwith Camel propeller in full size weighs 10kg, Avia will weigh 20kg. And I’m not talking about its weight after gluing – we have to manipulate with it in two.

We mostly produce the Avia propellers from ash or beech. The blades used to be covered with a linen fabric on the original propeller, in the radius where the projectiles flew. While the synchronizing device ensured that the projectile did not hit the blade, the fabric sheathing took care of protection of the surface from gunpowder. We’re using the same technique, the fabric is attached with varnish and painted with CS84 khaki acrylic paint, as it was at the original propeller.

Avia propeller compared to other propellers: