Rare Supermarine Seagull III propeller

Extremely Rare Original Supermarine Seagull III Four-Blade Propeller

Believed to be from RAAF Seagull III A9-5

This is a four-blade wooden propeller, approximately 9 ft 5 in tip-to-tip, in fully original condition. The original dope has oxidised to a blue colour and is peeling in places; the metal leading-edge protection is intact. There is no major damage or cracking.

Aircraft history

A9-5 was ordered in 1925 and was one of the nine Seagull IIIs delivered to the RAAF (A9-1 to A9-9). It formed part of the Papuan Survey Flight in 1927, conducting photographic survey work along the Papua New Guinea coast. It later served a tour embarked on HMAS Canberra (D33). A9-5 was the last Seagull III remaining in RAAF service; it was disembarked from Canberra in March 1936 and subsequently presented to Melbourne Technical College as an instructional airframe. Parts of the aircraft were later discarded.

Provenance of this propeller

In the early 1960s the propeller was recovered after having been dumped in Victoria. It was saved by a private individual who intended to display it but ultimately stored it in a roof space, where it remained until 2026. This long period of dry storage has helped preserve what is almost certainly the last surviving Seagull III propeller.

Rarity

Approximately 34 Supermarine Seagulls of all marks were built (mostly Seagull IIs for British service). Only nine Seagull IIIs were supplied to the RAAF and one to the Imperial Japanese Navy. No complete airframes survive; the only known remnant is a partial forward fuselage/nose section displayed at Solent Sky Museum, Southampton, UK.

Shipping

The propeller can be packed in a wooden box for shipping.

Serious enquiries from collectors or museums interested in preserving this unique piece of RAAF and RAN aviation history are welcome.