A 50 US Gallon drop tank? - Aircraft of World War II

Capt. Vick · 06-05-2009, 01:18 PM

Purchased a book that has a couple of pictures of the third Curtiss XP-55 Ascender equipped with wing drop tanks. (These images are readily available on line.) One of the captions says that they are 50 gallon drop tanks. Could this be right? They certainly don't look like the familiar metal stamped 75 gallon variety with the front filling cap. What could they be and does anyone have dimensions or drawings?

Thanks, Capt. Vick

ccheese · 06-05-2009, 01:30 PM

Capt Vick. You should have included the url for the web site, or uploaded pic's from your book. We'd like to see them.

Charles

Airframes · 06-05-2009, 02:13 PM

I think I know the ones you mean, which were used, AFAIK, only on the P40 series, as belly tanks. These were similar in shape to the later, 75 gal 'teardrop' tank, but I'd read that they were more expensive to manufacture, and later types of aircraft such as the P51 and P47 utilised the 75 gal tank, as well as the metal, and the 'paper' 108 gal tank, among others.

Capt. Vick · 06-05-2009, 03:07 PM

The two pictures in question are also shown in the book:

American Secret Pusher Fighters of WWII: XP-54, XP-55, and XP-56 by Gerald H. Balzer

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...4L._SS500_.jpg)

Here is the same picture used in the book with the caption on it being a 50 gallon drop tank. Unfortunately it's only partially visible.

http://www.aero-web.org/database/air...ge.php?id=3126

Will keep looking for the inflight photo...

Airframes · 06-05-2009, 05:27 PM

Yep, that's the tank I was thinking about. I've seen many pics of earlier US and RAF P40's using a similar tank, and I believe (having just remembered) that early P47's also used them briefly.

Capt. Vick · 06-05-2009, 05:47 PM

http://www.wingsontheweb.com/images-...wow0009566.jpg

Thanks Airframes! Now if I can only find a couple of these as an after-market accessory in 1/72 scale! Or some dimensions...ah...not too anal there!

Airframes · 06-05-2009, 06:08 PM

I can't promise anything Vick, but I might have a scale plan with these tanks included, from which you could maybe make a tank or two from Milliput, or carve from balsa then mould in resin?
I'll also see if I can find any after market ones on some of the U.K. suppliers sites; leave it with me for a couple of days.

Capt. Vick · 06-05-2009, 10:51 PM

I understand that you promise nothing, but either way I appreciate it and would somehow repay the favor.

06-05-2009, 01:18 PM	#1
Capt. Vick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 159	A 50 US Gallon drop tank? Purchased a book that has a couple of pictures of the third Curtiss XP-55 Ascender equipped with wing drop tanks. (These images are readily available on line.) One of the captions says that they are 50 gallon drop tanks. Could this be right? They certainly don't look like the familiar metal stamped 75 gallon variety with the front filling cap. What could they be and does anyone have dimensions or drawings? Thanks, Capt. Vick

06-05-2009, 01:30 PM	#2
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,309	Capt Vick. You should have included the url for the web site, or uploaded pic's from your book. We'd like to see them. Charles __________________ I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either....

06-05-2009, 02:13 PM	#3
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	I think I know the ones you mean, which were used, AFAIK, only on the P40 series, as belly tanks. These were similar in shape to the later, 75 gal 'teardrop' tank, but I'd read that they were more expensive to manufacture, and later types of aircraft such as the P51 and P47 utilised the 75 gal tank, as well as the metal, and the 'paper' 108 gal tank, among others. __________________

06-05-2009, 03:07 PM	#4
Capt. Vick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 159	Sorry. More Information... The two pictures in question are also shown in the book: American Secret Pusher Fighters of WWII: XP-54, XP-55, and XP-56 by Gerald H. Balzer (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...4L._SS500_.jpg) Here is the same picture used in the book with the caption on it being a 50 gallon drop tank. Unfortunately it's only partially visible. http://www.aero-web.org/database/air...ge.php?id=3126 Will keep looking for the inflight photo...

06-05-2009, 05:27 PM	#5
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Yep, that's the tank I was thinking about. I've seen many pics of earlier US and RAF P40's using a similar tank, and I believe (having just remembered) that early P47's also used them briefly. __________________

06-05-2009, 05:47 PM	#6
Capt. Vick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 159	Here is another (poor) picture http://www.wingsontheweb.com/images-...wow0009566.jpg Thanks Airframes! Now if I can only find a couple of these as an after-market accessory in 1/72 scale! Or some dimensions...ah...not too anal there!

06-05-2009, 06:08 PM	#7
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	I can't promise anything Vick, but I might have a scale plan with these tanks included, from which you could maybe make a tank or two from Milliput, or carve from balsa then mould in resin? I'll also see if I can find any after market ones on some of the U.K. suppliers sites; leave it with me for a couple of days. __________________

06-05-2009, 10:51 PM	#8
Capt. Vick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 159	You rock Airframes! I understand that you promise nothing, but either way I appreciate it and would somehow repay the favor.

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