>The fastest prop plane ever was the 5 bladed scimitar propeller P-47N
>which did 504 mph.
>Typhoons, Tempests, Spitfires, and a lot of Russian turboprops use in
>high performance versions used 5 bladed or more props.
>mBrad
Reply:
I think the problem here was power. As the built more powerful
engines, they could turn larger and larger props. At some point they
had to decide to either make the landing gear taller, or add more
blades. Didn't I see an experimental DC-9 with a 6 or 7 blade
turboprop engine stuck on the back? Again they were trying to deliver
a lot of power in a small diameter. Just like we're trying to move a
lot of air in a small diameter. For the same blade shape, the more
the better until the start to interfere with each other.
Maybe we would have seen more 5 or 6 blade machines if jets hadn't
taken over just after this era.
Stu
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