WWII Japanese Airplane Part...What is it?

[beretta1934]

No paperwork, just handed down through a local family with no written history, but what a real piece of history!

Well, it could be. But I've not seen a Japanese propeller that did not have marking stamped into for part number identification, assembly numbers and final inspection. They might have been polished off - but why would you polish off the very symbols and markings which represented Japanese origin? I've owned Zero propellers but not seen a standalone VAL or KATE. The Val in my area is a battlefield relic donated to the Nimitz museum and the engine is there but I never really studied the blades in detail and they are still attached to the hub. The ONLY KATE in existence is one being semi restored in Hawaii and it has NO engine at all :-(

So hopefully someone can find out more about the sailor and place him in PH at the time of the attack. I do know of one other propeller supposedly taken from a PH attack crash but it also is from a Zero, and just like mine had the steel geared spline and many characters, symbols and inspection stamps on it. I will try and find my old photos from 10-12 years ago to illustrate what i am talking about and post them.

[beretta1934]

Sorry it took so long but I still have not found my old Zero prop marking photo's but i did find these and my prop was identical to this. LOTS of markings and in multiple locations, a DWG (Drawing number, inspector's markings, sakuras, etc.) Notice the spline gear to vary the propellor pitch as well.
So, from the IJN propellers I have owned and seen, I just can't verify that these are Japanese for you. It really rests on further research to place the name at the scene and at the right timeframe.