# Early Aerial Refueling Concepts



## Zipper730 (Dec 27, 2017)

I remember hearing that there was a proposal for a refueling system intended for use by both the RAF and civilian airliners which was considered by the US, and almost ended up as part of the RAF's "Tiger Force".

From what I remember, the system involved trailing a hose in excess of 200 feet in length, which is captured with a grappling hook, and then reeled in and attached to the tail, with the tanker climbing above and essentially using the siphon effect to refuel the plane.

Alexander de Seversky supposedly came up with some system that went nowhere, and Germans also had some kind of refueling concept as well: I don't know the details of it.


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## fubar57 (Dec 27, 2017)

History « Air Refueling Archive


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## fubar57 (Dec 27, 2017)

More history, 90 pages

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
1 | Like List reactions


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## Zipper730 (Jan 14, 2018)

The US apparently took interest in aerial refueling in 1942, and started to pursue the idea with success in 1943: The tests proved range could be increased by 50% on a B-17 refueled in mid-air. The idea met it's end for awhile because the B-29 could meet the same range and fly faster and higher too.

From what I remember, insane as this sounds: I remember hearing of an idea of using a line to transfer a drop-tank on a P-38 (basically they slid a tank along a line from one plane to the P-38's wing): It wasn't successful obviously, but I'm amazed somebody would even think of doing it.


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## Zipper730 (Mar 15, 2018)

How much range could have been added to a B-29 with the looped hose?


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