spinner painted to deter birds?

[turbo]

i saw a rv-10 that had painted his spinner from the tip back 2/3 black and 1/3 white. he said that under 2,500 rpms the buzzards would see the pattern and move out of your way. has anyone heard of anything like this. he had hit one and totaled a wing. this was a solution for him. he says it works great. what do you think? turbo

[RickWoodall]

There was an old thread here about two years ago about that. If I recall, it was claimed the Germans did this in second world war. The thoughts were that the strobe effect deterred birds. No idea, but there were several posts with good pics if you can find it.

[GSchuld]

The alternating color striped spinner as fairly common on Allied aircraft as well. Such as this P51D.

http://www.wwiifighteraircraftfoundation.org/missy.jpg

The only explanation that I have heard for this spinner teatment was as a bird deterrent. Who knows whether it actually worked of not. Lots of fighter aircraft during WWII used the pattern, so there were certainly people who believed that the theory was plausable.

George

[Snowflake]

Ed's description sounds like a radial pattern, and George's picture shows a circular pattern (which wouldn't "strobe" but would show rings in flight as well). Ed, are you asking about a radial pattern?

I'd be surprised if birds could make out a 2500rpm strobe. I think it would look to me like a grey blur, are birds' eyes capable of resolving that fast a movement?

[jferraro17]

Here You go. At a local museum, can't remember which airplane...German though

[dedgemon]

Originally Posted by turbo

i saw a rv-10 that had painted his spinner from the tip back 2/3 black and 1/3 white. he said that under 2,500 rpms the buzzards would see the pattern and move out of your way. has anyone heard of anything like this. he had hit one and totaled a wing. this was a solution for him. he says it works great. what do you think? turbo

I painted the spinner on my 8, 2/3's red and 1/3 white.
It clearly works since I haven't hit any birds in 38 hours (first flew in Dec.)
I'll let you know if it keeps working.

[turbo]

Originally Posted by jferraro17

Here You go. At a local museum, can't remember which airplane...German though

this is just like the 10 had. i know birds eyesight is superior to anything we know. who knows it might get there attention like a strobe light to us. there are an awful lot of turkey buzzards in florida. would be a fun test to fly at some and see if they act any different that now. thanks for the pic.

[turbo]

Originally Posted by jferraro17

Here You go. At a local museum, can't remember which airplane...German though

this is just like the 10 had. i know birds eyesight is superior to anything we know. who knows it might get there attention like a strobe light to us. there are an awful lot of turkey buzzards in florida. would be a fun test to fly at some and see if they act any different that now. thanks for the pic.

[GSchuld]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjLwdxBij-g

Sorry, I misunderstood the paint scheme you were talking about. I believe this video is of a 50/50 black/white spinner. Pretty cool...

George

[Rupester]

I hear it keeps the elephants away too.