Pipes on auxiliary fuel tanks

[Augsburg Eagle]

Hi!
Can anyone tell me what´s the function of these tips on the front of this auxiliary fuel tanks?

 

[Crimea_River]

Often wondered that myself. Good question.

 

[fubar57]

The aircraft on the bottom is an Fw 190A-4/UB with underwing fuel tanks mounted on V.Tr. Ju 87 racks. This version was later designated Fw 190G-1. Still trying to find out what the pointy bits are.

Geo

 

[Augsburg Eagle]

In another forum I got the explanation, that it is for the pilot to check whether one dropped tank realy has dropped.
But I'm not convinced by this explanation.
Cause for the bellytank he has no possibility to check this. So why for the wingtanks?

 

[Crimea_River]

I could see that for the wing tanks, because the tubes are extended, perhaps they may allow of visual indication of the presence of the tanks from the cockpit.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

In another forum I got the explanation, that it is for the pilot to check whether one dropped tank realy has dropped.
But I'm not convinced by this explanation.
Cause for the bellytank he has no possibility to check this. So why for the wingtanks?

My guess is that during manufacture the provision was made to install the optional "sight stick." If the tank was hung on the wing, the stick was installed. If the tank was hung on the belly, no stick would be installed.

 

[stona]

Strange thing is that none of the three 300l drop tanks I've seen 'in the flesh' appeared to have any means of attaching such a device. That doesn't mean that others didn't...just saying.

I don't know what the prong is for either

Cheers

Steve

 

[Augsburg Eagle]

Thanks for your answers.
If anyone else know something about it, please post it here

 

[Capt. Vick]

It's for toasting marshmallows

 

[Augsburg Eagle]

Possible.
But how would you get it hot?

Any other (realistic) ideas??

 

[vikingBerserker]

Friction, it was more successful on the Me 163.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Hahahaha...sorry....

 

[Augsburg Eagle]

In the german Flugzeugforum I got a pointing to a letter to the editor in the magazine Flugzeug Classic (issue April 2005).
I will not deprive you of course.

For those who speak German, here I have a scan:

For the other my translation (sorry if my english is not perfect. I miss the exercise )

"In Flugzeug Classic 2/2005 reader Marcus Oesterle asked, why the auxiliary tanks on an Fw 190 in an earlier issue
has wooden sticks on the front (it´s the same picture I have in my first post; my note).
In 1943 I flew JABO-sorties at the SKG 10 in south Italy with two 300l auxiliary tanks. The sticks were for us to check, weather
the tanks really got away after jettison. We didn´t see it from the cockpit. There were also cases, that when starting on field airfields
with uneven ground, the tanks went out of their fastening and hung obliquely to the aircraft. With the sticks we were able to react
and throw them away to avoid difficulties in flight."

This should be the question answered.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[Crimea_River]

Mystery solved, and as I guessed in post 5. Thanks for the update!

 

[Capt. Vick]

Wow! Great job!

 

[Augsburg Eagle]

You´re welcome