Bf 109 k4 propeller.

[Barnacles]

Once I read somewhere that k4s were fitted with 2 types of propeller. Some had a climb rate optimized one and some had a speed optimized one. Does anyone have details regarding this?

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

http://kurfurst.org/Performance_tests/109K_PBLeistungen/Leist_109K_EN.html

 

This mentions propellers. Haven’t read it myself, so it could be irrelevant.

[Kurfurst]

They were fitted with one type of propeller in serial production, VDM 9-12159, the same as on the G-6/AS, G-14/AS, G-10. This was a broad blade propeller for high altitudes, and consequently it gave somewhat poorer performance at lower altitudes, probably due to the extra drag of the wider blades compared to the original 12087 used on G1 through G14 with the medium altitude DB 605A(M) engine.

 

VDM 9-12199 with thinner blades was also tried, this gave better speed performance ( 727 kph vs 715) especially at altitude, while climb was considered unchanged; otherwise I believe it was similar to the 12159 apart from the thinner blades (‘Dünnblattschraube’). This is what is being compared to the serial production propeller 12159 in the link Messerschmitt doc.

 

There were some others, including a propeller with swept back blades (Pfeilschraube) which would ultimately give a top speed of 741 kph at 6,3 km altitude.

 

However the only one that was serially fitted was 12159.