P-51D

[JMJ]

What was the drop tank's fuel capacity for this aircraft

 

[davparlr]

All I have found so far is 75 gal, 150 gal slipper tank, and 108 gal.

 

[drgondog]

All I have found so far is 75 gal, 150 gal slipper tank, and 108 gal.

Dave - I have a little different group of 75, 110 combat plus 150, 165 Ferry in Gruenhagen's "Mustang".

I have also seen the 110 and 108 used interchangably in various reports everywhere so I wonder if 108 is TRUE Capacity.

 

[Colin1]

Up until October 1942
75 US gallon tanks were available, unfortunately, these were aluminium which were of use to the enemy in component manufacture when jettisoned by escort fighters and also, I daresay, for the left-over fuel still inside, if they were jettisoned ahead of schedule.

The 8th AF instituted a program for a 110 US gallon tank that was composed of a substance that would be of no use to the enemy when dropped over their territory, this being composed of paper layers bonded with glue. They had a life of something like 8 hours once filled as the fuel actually started to eat the drop tank.

 

[Colin1]

I have also seen the 110 and 108 used interchangeably in various reports everywhere so I wonder if 108 is TRUE Capacity.

I've seen that too and I also wonder

 

[Airframes]

I think it was true capacity. I remember a RAF Mustang pilot telling me that the tank held 108 gallons, allowing for airspace for fuel pressurisation, although the internal VOLUME of the tank was 110 gallons. Sounds logical, if you consider that the physical space required for 2 gallons of liquid, across the top area of the tank, would not be much on this cigar-shaped 'paper' (and also some of steel) tank.
BTW, the 75 gallon, metal 'tear drop' tank was still used up until the end of the war in Europe by a number of Fighter Groups.
Terry.