Can The BBI Corsair Prop Be Removed?

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Sun May 06, 2007 10:44 am

I want to sell my checker-nose BBI F4U and I would prefer to take the prop off to make shipping easier/safer. There is a small gap between the propellor hub and the engine, but before I stick a screwdriver or such in there I wanted to know if it can be done without breaking something.

Black Lion VF-213 · Post by **Black Lion VF-213** » Sun May 06, 2007 11:18 am

I've taken off the props of my BBI Corsairs more than once for painting the engine with more detail.

When you disassemble the main wing section from the fuselage, you can see the back side of the propellor's hub inside the the engine. I used a wooden dowl rod with three layers of felt glued to the end of it for cushioning and pushed the back side of the hub and it popped right out, no scratches, etc. The plastic over time from removing it will eventually wear the edges and lose its ability to hold the prop in place. Mine hasn't gone that far, but I can tell that would be the eventual result after say.....10 times or more....

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Sun May 06, 2007 3:35 pm

Black Lion VF-213 wrote:I've taken off the props of my BBI Corsairs more than once for painting the engine with more detail.

When you disassemble the main wing section from the fuselage, you can see the back side of the propellor's hub inside the the engine. I used a wooden dowl rod with three layers of felt glued to the end of it for cushioning and pushed the back side of the hub and it popped right out, no scratches, etc. The plastic over time from removing it will eventually wear the edges and lose its ability to hold the prop in place. Mine hasn't gone that far, but I can tell that would be the eventual result after say.....10 times or more....

Awesome, thanks! I stuck a pencil in there with the eraser forward and it popped out with no problem. Now I wish I could pop off the other antenna like I was able to do with the nose antenna.