Help identifying drop tank(?)

[drallenphoto]

To support your idea: AFAIK those teardrop fairings of the "loop antenna" of the radio compass were the same on B-25, B-17, B-24, C-47 etc.
Here are 2 photos of the "football" LP-21, made in the Warplanes Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 2008. The B-25J they have there is called "Grumpy" and flyable:
View attachment 835888
View attachment 835889
The graphite impregnated model is LP-21LM as seen on the first photo.
Here are photos of the same fairing without the attachment:
View attachment 835890
View attachment 835891
View attachment 835892
Please note how the body of the "football" IS NOT symmetrical (as of a drop tank e.g.) because of the flat attachment area.
The length of the fairing is 26"(66cm)-27"(68.6cm) as per my notes. Don't remember did I measure it straight or over the curvature.
I hope smutny will check this more precisely.
Cheers!

Catch22 and smutny I think we can call this solved!

I've taken a closer look at the original footage again and see the evidence. Looking closely at the top of the 4 CCU "football" you can just make out where the curvature changes to accommodate the attachment area for the teardrop. New screen grab attached.

It was the pics above that sealed the deal. Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this and got us to a solution! Now to find a surplus teardrop fairing or create a replica...

 

[drallenphoto]

I'm sure you'll be hearing from The Knowledgeable here quite willing to help you. It's a great project you're working on.

You weren't kidding! That was an amazing effort by a lot of smart people!

 

[CATCH 22]

Looking closely at the top of the 4 CCU "football" you can just make out where the curvature changes to accommodate the attachment area for the teardrop.

Here is an enhanced variant of the still you posted (AI-supported). I don't see what you see but this is not an original photo anymore...

 

[drallenphoto]

Here is an enhanced variant of the still you posted (AI-supported). I don't see what you see but this is not an original photo anymore...
View attachment 835898

It looks like the AI tried to smooth it out and removed the detail. Added another attachment with some markup to show where I'm seeing the shape change.

 

[CATCH 22]

It looks like the AI tried to smooth it out and removed the detail. Added another attachment with some markup to show where I'm seeing the shape change.

Yes, you are right about the detail!

 

[Marc de Jerphanion]

Thanks for your inquiry, it reminded me that I discovered ten years ago in our hills of Pontevès, in soutth of France, in Provence, the remains of two drop tanks. And I was not able to identify their capacity : 75 gallons or more? andt from which plane they have been dropped ( P-38, P-47 or P-5). I asked yesterday ChatGPT and I got the answer. Now I would go in the hills and measure their length on the spot. They have been dropped in 1944 by planes escorting B 17 on their way to Germavy. There were many at the time. The farmers used to collect the fuel remaning in the tanks. A youg guy transformed a drop tank in a small kayak! Pontevès have been liberated by the americans on the 17th of august 1944. Myself born on the 25th of july 1944 in Paris, Paris liberated on the 25th of august 1944.

It is not correct these dropt tanks must been dropped later in februar or march 1945, operation Thunderclap

 

[smutny]

A youg guy transformed a drop tank in a small kayak!

After the war, drop tanks were used to make all kinds of things including race cars and even an airplane.

As they say.... "Waste not, what not"