They featured a permanently set blade angle, called fixed-pitch, and were made from layers of wood. They were cheap, easy to manufacture, and light, and were the dominant propeller type for high performance aircraft until the mid-1920s. After that, small general aviation aircraft relied upon them for thrust.

Wood propellers are noted for their smoother running due to their excellent internal damping characteristics. They also impose less load on the crankshaft. Wood propellers are constructed of hardwood laminations, the greater the number, the better, because they ensure a stronger propeller and virtually eliminate any tendency for the wood to warp.

A wood prop gets its final shape from a craftsman wielding a sharp spokeshave and a tray full of templates and protractors. Wooden leading edges are susceptible to dings and erosion, so wooden props are fitted with shaped brass edges. They’re fastened with screws where the blade is thick enough and copper rivets where it isn’t.