# Empty weight of drop tanks



## 33k in the air (Feb 3, 2021)

Does anyone have any data on the empty weight of drop tanks used during WWII? I'm particularly interested in knowing how the empty weight of the 108 gallon 'paper' drop tank used in the ETO compared to the empty weight of the 108 gallon metal drop tank and the later 110 gallon teardrop-shaped tank. But information on any other drop tanks would be welcomed also.

The technical aspects of drop tanks in general, other than their capacity, seems little covered either in print or online, at least, based on my search attempts.


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## MiTasol (Feb 3, 2021)

This is all I have, pretty poor quality. If you find the rest of this manual, and/or and earlier/later edition, can you please post it here

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## ThomasP (Feb 4, 2021)

This is what I have:

Hurricane
45 Impgal____77 lbs, metal (SSFT), cylindrical, fixed, combatable (includes fairing)
45 Impgal____52 lbs, paper, cylindrical, (includies fairing)
90 Impgal____98 lbs, metal, cylindrical, fixed (normally), ferry (includes fairing)
90 Impgal____70 lbs, paper, cylindrical, (includes fairing)

Spitfire
30 Impgal____75 lbs, steel, slipper, combatable
30 Impgal____40 lbs, SEMA 4 (SSFT), slipper, combatable
90 Impgal___142 lbs, steel, slipper, ferry (combatable if empty?)

Fulmar
60 Impgal___118 lbs, steel, slipper, combatable

Mosquito
42 Impgal____60 lbs, steel, slipper, combatable if empty
50 Impgal____38 lbs, wood, slipper, combatable if empty
80 Impgal____82 lbs, steel, slipper, combatable if empty

F4F Wildcat/Martlet
58 USgal____ 38 lbs, steel, teardrop (45 lbs including hanger bits)

F4U Corsair/F6F Hellcat
100 USgal__ 104 lbs, steel, streamlined
150 USgal__ 122 lbs, steel, streamlined
150 USgal__ 194 lbs, steel (SSFT), streamlined, combatable

TBF Avenger/SB2C Helldiver
100 USgal____71 lbs, steel, teardrop

P-38 Lightning
110 USgal____85 lbs, steel, teardrop
165 USgal___106 lbs, steel, streamlined
300 USgal___140 lbs, aluminum, streamlined
310 USgal___176 lbs, steel, streamlined

P-39 Airacobra
175 USgal___150 lbs, steel, conformal
175 USgal___155 lbs, steel, conformal

P-51 Mustang
75 USgal____ 50 lbs, steel, teardrop

A6M Zero
72 Impgal____72 lbs, composite, combatable

Ki-43 Oscar
44 Impgal____58 lbs, metal, teardrop
44 Impgal____53 lbs, metal, teardrop

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## ThomasP (Feb 4, 2021)

Added Fulmar DT and Mosquito DT to above post.


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## 33k in the air (Feb 9, 2021)

I'll add what I've come across. The following is from _Mustang: The Story of the P-51 Fighter_ by Robert W. Gruenhagen.

75 gal. combat tank = 60 lbs
150 gal. ferry tank = 120 lbs
165 gal. ferry tank (P-51H) = 135 lbs
110 gal. combat tank = 75 lbs

From _Spitfire: A Documentary History_ by Alfred Price. Pages 132-133 include a weight breakdown of the Spitfire F.21 which includes the following figures for the empty weight of drop tanks:

30 gal. drop tank = 60 lbs
45 gal. blister type drop tank = 80 lbs
90 gal. blister type drop tank = 120 lbs

I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "blister type drop tank". I presume it's a reference to the torpedo-shaped type of drop tank.

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## tomo pauk (Feb 9, 2021)

33k in the air said:


> I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "blister type drop tank". I presume it's a reference to the torpedo-shaped type of drop tank.



Blister was the 'flush-fitting' type. Like this on the model, under the fuselage.


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## 33k in the air (Feb 10, 2021)

tomo pauk said:


> Blister was the 'flush-fitting' type. Like this on the model, under the fuselage.



Ah, okay. Isn't it basically the same as a slipper tank only bigger?


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## MiTasol (Feb 10, 2021)

Blister = slipper = conformal depending on which manual or drawing you are looking at.

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## 33k in the air (Feb 10, 2021)

Some more drop tank weights I've come across. The following quotes are from the Nov. 4th, 1943, issue of _Flight_ magazine.

_To provide extended fighter cover and to increase the time limit on operational sorties, the Hurricane and Typhoon fighters have fitted beneath each wing a 45-gallon metal drop tank, each approximately 7ft. long by 15in. diameter and weighing 29 lb. empty._

_The Lockheed Lightning . . . continues on those lines by having two drop tanks, each fitted beneath the centre section between and nacelles. These tanks are constructed of 23 S.W.G. (0.024in.) sheet steel ; they have a capacity of 150 gallons each and weigh 90 lb. empty . . . The Lightning tanks are 10ft. long by 27in. maximum cross-sectional diameter, and are made up in two half-shell pressings, seam-welded together. Seven transverse bulkheads are welded-in, and the attachment points for connection to the aircraft are in a recessed trough on the top curvature of the tanks._


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## 33k in the air (Feb 10, 2021)

Lastly, drop tank weights as determined from the weight loadout tables published in _America's Hundred Thousand_ by Francis H. Dean.

51 gallons (F4U-1) = 40 lbs
52 gallons (P-40C) = 54 lbs
58 gallons (F4F-4, FM-2) = 50 lbs
75 gallons (P-39Q-1) = 45 lbs
75 gallons (P-47D) = 50 lbs
75 gallons (A-36A-1, P-51A, P-51D) = 60 lbs
91 gallons (P-39D-2) = 45 lbs
110 gallons (P-51D) = 90 lbs
150 gallons (F4U-1D) = 79 lbs
150 gallons (A-36A-1, P-51A) = 105 lbs
150 gallons (P-63A-10) = 120 lbs
159.33 gallons (F4U-1) = 78.5 lbs
165 gallons (P-47D, P-38J) = 87.5 lbs
165 gallons (P-51D) = 115 lbs
175 gallons (F4U-1) = 95 lbs
300 gallons (P-47D) = 157 lbs
306 gallons (P-61B) = 222 lbs
312 gallons (P-38J) = 155 lbs

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## ThomasP (Jul 30, 2022)

Added P-38 110 USgal steel DT & 300 USgal aluminum DT, and P-39 175 USgal steel DT to my post#3 above.

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## ThomasP (Jul 31, 2022)

Made correction to my post#3 above. I had the weight of the 58 USgallon DT listed as 54 lbs with hanger bits, but I made a typo and reversed the 5 & 4. The weight with hanger bits should be 45 lbs.


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