RF/F-80 drop tanks on Berlin Express P-51B

[Mustangmaniac]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to figure out just exactly who made these tanks and what size they really are. I think they are Sargent Fletcher tanks made for the F-80 and about 110 gallons because from what I understand you really can't carry more than that under the wings of a P-51 without messing up the CG. I know Sargent Fletcher made a 75 gallon version and have found their drawing of it online. Berlin Express has carried both of these styles of tanks I'm talking about and you can see them in the pictures.

What I know is a 75 gallon tank but of the same overall shape:



A drawing by Sargent Fletcher of the same 75 gallon tank:


These are the tanks I need help with also on Berlin Express:


A closer shot of the same tanks:


This style of tank always has the filler cap on the left side close to the leading edge of the P-51's wing. That's how I know it's not the 75 gallon tanks in the drawing where the filler caps are on top. I also think they are larger in diameter than the 75 gallon tanks based off of where they register on the D-day stripes on Berlin Express. The 75 gallon tanks appear to sit higher, thus being slightly smaller in diameter.

I believe these are F-80 tip tanks I just don't know which ones because they're not the standard Fletcher tanks with the fin, wrong shape for the Lockheed tanks and the Misawa tanks were pointed on the nose too.

Here's what I believe to be one on an F-80:




I'd love to get some dimensions and possibly drawings if possible of these tanks. I'm currently building a 1/32 scale model of Bardahl Special and she carried these tanks for a short period:






Thanks in advance for any help you guys and gals can give me!

Cheers,
Brady

[Bradburger]

Brady,

The tanks that were fitted to 'Berlin Express' when she flew across the pond to Flying Legends look to be the same ones they used on 'Miss Velma' when that did the same trip back in 2007.

(They appear to be the ones as per the diagram you posted, and labeled as 75 US Gallons Capacity).

Here are a couple of pictures I took of them after they had been removed, on the TFC hangar floor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4TsC5rZfemLhAEKk7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/frxwYxFrPHMbW8sr7

Cheers

Paul

[sledge39]

.
...150 gallon Skyraider drop tanks...

Info here says Chuck Lyford used 150 gallon Skyraider drop tanks in the 1964 Harold’s Club Transcontinental Trophy Dash from St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida to Reno Nevada.

https://www.shopdrawdecal.com/ProductDe ... %2DP51%2D9

[lucky52]

How was the fuel transferred from drop tanks to the main tanks( or wherever) on WW2 fighters(P-51,P-47,P-38) ? Thanks.

[mdwflyer]

How was the fuel transferred from drop tanks to the main tanks( or wherever) on WW2 fighters(P-51,P-47,P-38) ? Thanks.

The exhaust side of the vacuum pump.

[lucky52]

Thanks.

[JohnB]

Some questions....

-Are there still correct WWII tanks out there for purchase by warbird owners? And today when we see drop tanks on fighters, are they plumbed or just for show?

-What does the FAA think about drop tanks in civil aircraft?
I'm almost surprised that they don't require an STC or something and specify what tanks can be used with certain types.

[bdk]

-What does the FAA think about drop tanks in civil aircraft?
I'm almost surprised that they don't require an STC or something and specify what tanks can be used with certain types.

From the Mustang Type Certificate Data Sheet (which I refuse to attempt to interpret):

Fuel capacity:
Forward two wing tanks, 92 U.S. gal., 163.0 inches aft of datum; aft fuselage tank, 65 U.S. gal., 210.0 inches aft of datum

Equipment:
No Equipment other than engines and propellers are specified. However, such equipment as required by Federal Regulations for the particular operation authorized for civil registered aircraft must be installed. Also, any additional equipment necessary for the proper operation of the aircraft must be installed. In addition, the aircraft may incorporate such military equipment (except armament) as was originally incorporated in the type for military or naval service. Additional equipment may be installed as can be substantiated on the basis that it presents no obvious hazard to safety.

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/6866356F1044FA50862576AB006A5023?OpenDocument&Highlight=p-51d

[sandiego89]

Looks like the Trumpeter 1/32 has some nice external fuel tanks.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/ind ... aider-132/

[Mustangmaniac]

Brady,

The tanks that were fitted to 'Berlin Express' when she flew across the pond to Flying Legends look to be the same ones they used on 'Miss Velma' when that did the same trip back in 2007.

(They appear to be the ones as per the diagram you posted, and labeled as 75 US Gallons Capacity).

Here are a couple of pictures I took of them after they had been removed, on the TFC hangar floor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4TsC5rZfemLhAEKk7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/frxwYxFrPHMbW8sr7

Cheers

Paul

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the new pictures. I do believe those are different though. A friend of mine contacted Randy who I believe my friend said Randy was Berlin Express's mechanic. Randy said that the larger ones I was asking about were 110 gallon tanks. If you look closely at the pictures I posted originally you can see the difference in orientation of the tanks' filler caps and how they are clocked differently on the pylon. It seems almost impossible to tell them apart other than if you see them on the same bird from about the same angle. I've found Berlin Express's D-day stripes on the gear doors to be a decent way to see a difference in diameter. If you have any other pictures of either set of tanks I will definitely be interested.

Cheers,
Brady

[JohnTerrell]

I've noticed they are the same as the ones that were used (modified to an extent) as the wingtip tanks of some of the Cavalier conversions (and Piper Enforcer), which are also said to be 110-gal capacity:
https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/inde ... onversion/
http://www.davecov.net/modelling/refere ... 2_2000.jpg
http://www.davecov.net/modelling/refere ... 6_2000.jpg
http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/variants/cavalier

Here are a few more photographic examples of these 110-gal drop tanks:

Cavalier 67-22581:
https://i.imgur.com/vqI0khL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/DQteOjY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ADHfoI3.jpg
https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpi ... -large.jpg
https://www.swissmustangs.ch/var/m_7/71 ... Hs0lCx.jpg

Cavalier "45-11559" N30FF:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23032926@ ... 09/sizes/l

Cavalier I-BILL:
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51regis ... 021331.jpg
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51regis ... 021330.jpg

South African AF F-51D:
http://www.saairforce.co.za/seed/public ... _large.jpg

RCAF Mustang:
https://swissmustangs.ch/var/m_7/71/71f ... 1950sa.jpg

National Guard F-51H:
https://www.avgeekery.com/wp-content/up ... -64600.jpg

[Mustangmaniac]

Hi John,

Those are some really good shots and a few I've never seen. Do you know if Cavalier had these tanks made by Sargent Fletcher?

What I'd really love to find is someone who could get some good shots of these tanks' connection points and placards of a set that's still around. Dimensions would be awesome to have but I am starting to run out of faith of finding anyone who could give me dimensions.

Brady