Name it

[Richard]

A clue is how ablated the blades are. Now what would do that?

 

[Everskyward]

Sikorsky Sea Stallion? http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1189178/M/

 

[Joe B]

A clue is how ablated the blades are. Now what would do that?

Water. Looks just like the prop on a floatplane I recently saw - paint gone, underlying blade fine. This is a helicopter tail rotor though (tip of main blade visible at left. You can also see that the blade at 5 o'clock wasn't affected so the incident must have been quite transient. Maybe the helicopter pitched a bit too far back coming in for a pickup?

Regards,
Joe

 

[Richard]

Nope.

 

[NC Pilot]

Sikorsky Skycrane - Water bomber for fighting fires.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?...FP&photo_nr=6&prev_id=1205557&next_id=1197474

 

[ScottM]

yep this guy
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/thewilliamsfire/heavylift6.JPG

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Water/rain/snow/ash/dust could possibly cause that. Because the tips travel much faster than the area towards the hub, abrasion tends to show in the first few inches of the tips (both MR and TR).

 

[Richard]

Water/rain/snow/ash/dust could possibly cause that. Because the tips travel much faster than the area towards the hub, abrasion tends to show in the first few inches of the tips (both MR and TR).

I put that to point out the environment it flies in.