1:144 Watts 2-bladed LH propeller

A two-blade Watts propeller, left-hand form 1:144

The left-hand variant of the propeller completes the range of small Mark I parts for the smallest commonly built scale. The letters LH in the name establish the direction of rotation, which the twist of the blades matches. The part is used as a replacement for the propeller from a kit where its shape does not match the real subject.

When the left-hand variant is in place

Distinguishing the right-hand and the left-hand form has a practical reason: on twin-engine machines with contra-rotating propellers each side has a different direction of rotation, and wrongly oriented blades are immediately apparent on a finished model. That is precisely why the maker offers both versions separately and the modeler acquires the one his real subject calls for.

Fitting tips

• Before separating the part, note which way the blades point.
• Remove the gate in small steps, not with one cut.
• Strengthen the glued joint with a drop of glue from behind so that it is not visible.
• Paint the propeller separately and attach it as the last part of the build.
• Do not load the finished joint; the small spigot breaks off easily.

Who the part suits

It suits modelers who, in a small scale, watch even such details as the direction of the twist of the blades. It will serve well when building machines with contra-rotating propellers, where both directions are needed, and also as the rescue of a model with a broken propeller. Collectors who build small models in larger batches acquire it as a stock item too.