One bomb, one drop tank?

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Wild_Bill_Kelso

Senior Master Sergeant
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1,474
Mar 18, 2022
I was discussing drop tanks with a buddy, and he asked if they ever carried a bomb on one wing and a drop tank on the other. I am pretty sure I remember seeing this, and though I'm sure it would make for a bit difficult flying I think with trim tabs it's probably doable, but my google-fu failed me. Anyone know of some visual examples of this and / or details, which aircraft etc.? I thought I saw P-47s and maybe P-38s kitted this way ... maybe P-40s too. But couldn't find anything.
 
6 squadron Hurricane IV in Greece with 4x3" rockets under the starboard wing and a drop tank under the port wing.

And they did it the other way round as well


There was this thread on here from a couple of years ago about the P-38 with asymetrical loads.

P-38 Drop Tank/Bomb Configuration

I have read in another thread here that it was possible to have an asymmetrical load out for the P-38 with bombs and drop tanks. Specifically, does anyone know if it was possible for the P-38F-15 to carry a 1000lb bomb on one wing pylon and a 150 gal drop tank on the other? If so, might this...
ww2aircraft.net
 
So... instinctively it seems like this could get tricky when you release one or the other, or even as the fuel is being used up in the drop tank. Am i right to assume careful use of trim tabs and maybe some differential throttle control is the key to success?
 
Given how close the loads are to the P-38's centre-line, I don't think that there would have been much of an effect.

I doubt that single-engine aircraft would have been cleared for this configuration unless they could be trimmed for flight.
 
CATCH 22 said:
I've seen this in post-WWII configurations - in this particular case a completely asymmetrical load with a bomb under centreline and one drop tank:
Click to expand...
Fly trimmed initially, re-trim as you burn the fuel in the drop tanks. By the time it's empty, it's so close to the centerline that the trim effect is minimal. Keep it and drop the centerline bomb, if desired.
 
Corsair maybe ?

 
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