While all engines produce power the Propeller is essential to transmit this power. A more efficient propeller will transmitmore power to the air. In the UK the most commonly available propellers for I/C engines are:

• Master Airscrew
• Bolly
• Kyosho
• Graupner
• APC
• Precedent (Smart & Airflow)
• Menz 'S' and 'Ultra'
• Mjenlik

Of these propellers Menz 'S' and Precedent's 'Smart' range are suitable for large engines, these are wooden propellers so tend to break more easily than composite propellers. Mjenlik propellers are also suited to large models and are Carbon Fibre propellers. APC propellers are composite propellers and are excellent for most uses, they are not robust enough for beginners however. Graupner and Kyosho propellers are also composite propellers and are well suited to beginners, as a matter of preference I prefer a Graupner propeller. Kyosho props are a mildly quieter design than Graupner however. Master Airscrew props are noisy, inefficient propellers and their only redeeming feature is their strength against ground impacts - only buy if there is nothing else.

A table of my suggested propeller sizes follows.  It would be fair to say that my recommended props are often much larger than those typically used in the USA but this helps significantly with noise reduction and therefore I will go with a larger prop.  The engines will not bog down with these props, they just won't quite develop all the power they could.  Though to be fair we do overpower anyway.  Prop sizes are only slightly above US recommendations.  If you field is noise sensitive (as many are) then head for one of the large sizes.

*The Yamada FZ120 is very powerful so a 16x8 is advised as a minimum, 15x10 being an alternative.

**The Yamada FZ140 Limited is more powerful than a Saito 180 so use the 1.80-2.00 prop sizes as a guide.

The figures are merely estimates - do not take them as gospel they are merely a rough guide.  As aside notes:

1. The 3W and Desert Aircraft petrol engines are very powerful for their size and larger props should be used such as a 28x10 on a 100cc Twin from these manufacturers.

2. I generally like to prop the engine in the RPM ranges above, to develop power without excessive noise levels.  In order to meet the UK limits a sensible mounting system (I like the Dubro Mounts) and an APC or similar propeller should be used, provided the manufacturer's silencer is adequate.  Of the engines I have come across, O.S., Irvine and MDS Silencers are adequate without extra silencing fitted.  The O.S. silencers are the best of the standard silencers though.