Sensenich Wood Prop on a C85

We are getting to the final stages of a Luscombe 8A rebuild which has intailed replacing every single skin along with a lot of the structure. It will be very stock except that the engine has been changed to a C85-8 and we have installed wing tanks instead of the rear fuselage tank. This is a very special airplane for a friend of mine and his family and we want it to be as it was in the late 1940s when his Dad flew it. We would like to put a wood prop on it and want to have it pitched for climb since this will not be a cross country machine. Sensenich says a W72GK-46 would be their wood climb prop. Anybody with any expererience who can concur or have a better prop? Also, does a wood prop on a C85-8 perform well? This willbe a very light Luscombe and should perform quite well.

Steve, I am flying a J3 with a Sensenich wood cruse prop on it. I think it is a 46. Will ck this aft and let you know.


Roger

Steve, I ran a W72GK-44 on my J3 with a C-85. A match made in Heaven. I run the same prop with a C-90 on the same airplane now, really climbs quite well, hardly any more speed. Bill Stevenson

Steve,
I have a Sensenich W72GK-44 on my experimental cub. When I bought it, Sensenich told me it was listed as the climb prop for a CUB with a C85.

If we can arrange our schedules to work out, maybe I can fly my cub up there to Graham and let you try my prop on the Luscombe.

Clyde

I checked mine and it is a 72 GK 46 and it is a cruse prop, not a climb.

Rog

Well, I use a 72GK48 for climb and a 72GK50 for cruise, which is only 85mph. The Luscombe cruises at 100 or so; I would imagine a bigger bite would be better. I would love to try the 44" pitch on mine; it goes straight up with the 50! Standard on the A65 is 42" for climb and 44 for cruise.

Prop

Steve,

I'm hoping to have the J-4 flying this weekend or next. It has a 72GK46 (I believe) bolted to a C85-8. I'll bring it over and you can take it around the patch. We'll shake it down for a few weeks and then it heads up to Ohio...

Bill

What speed does a J-4 cruise at with a C-75 engine with a climb prop? Please no jokes!

I've flown a few J3's with wooden props and metal props and in my opinion, the metal props outperform the wooden props. just my opinion. Never did do any testing, just seat of the pants.

john

Josh,
expect about 70-75 mph.
John

I've flown a lot of J-3s with wood and metal props. Can't tell the difference, assuming the props were comparable. Flew one metal prop J-3 that had an incorrect prop; it wouldn't get out of its own way.

I'll take wood. Lots easier on your fingers, lots prettier, authentic, and if you hit something, orders of magnitude cheaper, unless you tell somebody.