2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Hello,
I've just found these 2 german 300 liters drop tanks in a barn.
The farmer remembered the drop of the tanks in a field near his farm in 1944 during a aerial fight .
One is in Alloy, and the other one is steel. Is there a late type to save alloy during the war ?
The alloy type still have about 40% of original paint with red markings ( Keine Bombe ! )
The both are in very good condition for a dropped tank and they were used by the farmer for a long time for gazoline tank for tractors.
Granville
http://i53.tinypic.com/11weejl.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/f4jpfo.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/1z3vse8.jpg

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Granville

Super find! Amazing what is still out there, so keep looking! Do you now own them, or will they go to a museum ( and hopefully on to an existing aircraft).

regards
Dave

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Granville,

Interesting find!! Does the farmer remember at all the relative timeframe in 1944 for the dogfight? While probably not an uncommon occurance it would be interesting if this could be researched further.

Regards

Jeremy

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Steel drop tank????

By the way- excellent images, thank you :)

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

I have asked the farmer for an accurate date, but he doesn't manage to remember , its too far in his head.
Yes, one tank - the more rusted one- is in steel.

I just see on my first pic that the 4 support brackets are not in the same position on the 2 tanks. Could be possible that these tanks are a real pair used on a Me 110 for exemple ?
I suppose that on a fighter the brackets should be in the same position.
Your opinion please ?

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Monsieur Granville,

Pouriez-vous soumettre une nouvelle fois les photos? J'aimerais aussi les voir, pour detailler des maquettes 1/72 que je possède ( pour monter ). Ça serait très sympa de votre part, s'il vous plaît!

Merci bien.
Adriano Baumgartner

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Salut,

in wich region/departement the drop was was found?

Greetings

Lino

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Adriano, que voulez vous exactement, d'autres photos ?

There were found East of France in Champagne area.

Nobody can explains me the steel tank ? late war or economy "ersatz" ?

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Salut Granville,

thanks for area info and for sharing the nice pics.
I'm sorry, i have no information at hand concerning the use of Alloy/steel tanks.
The ones i know from my region in bavaria have been steel ones.

Greetings

Lino

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Hi all,

the "steel" are in fact zinc-coated steelplates thickness est. 0.7mmm.
Most of the zinc-plating seems to be covered with a rust film coming from places where the zinc has weathered off.
A late tnk to save stretegic materials IMO, though a bit heavier.
Just watch: the method to join the segments is different to the one applied with the aluminium tank. The segments are joined with a lock seam

Regards

Roland

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Yeah Roland,

As you said " the "steel" is Zinc-coated steel-plates..." Humm, SO it's steel without zinc or not and since it's zinc-coated we can call it Galvanized Steel, can't we?
Left the fact with 0.7mm thick it's quite heavy, for sure. As you said too the assembly is different but I guess - I'm quite sure - it's thinner than the "normal" alloy hence thinner assembly joints (bending strengh capacity is different).
Last, pipe positioning is the same but the four plots are "mirror" positionned, one being in parallel with fuse axis the other perpendicular, and the contrary in bottom position. The "mirror image" of that disposition appearing on the other tank (whatever the first you are considering)
That disposition being planned to avoid lateral and front/back tank mouvement during evolutions.
This is interesting cause it means that the anchoring devices on tank racks had the capacity to be put right in place in those fences whatever their positionning (since the two little pipes are in the same position on both tanks).

Well, that's what I see on those pictures. Someone to comment/confirm?

Chears, Franck.

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Adriano: english only please!

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

John: Roger Sir! Fully understood!

I appologize...my French was rusted...it was a simple message...but I will follow the rules.

Yours
Adriano Baumgartner

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

To DB601E:

Please, were the photos posted on another previous thread or were they included on this thread? I can not really visualize those mentioned pictures, which I would like to have a look. My personal interest on the pictures is to enhance my 1/72 kits. That's all.

Thanks DB601E and all for the patience.

Adriano

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Adriano, the pics are on this thread.
Send me a PM with an email address if you can't see the photos.

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Hi Frank,
About the "mirror image" of the supports on the both tanks, is it possible that this can be a way to make difference with each octane fuels ?
If the plane engine must use this grade of octane, you can't install this type ot tank because of the supports positions ? This is a "poka-yoke" for those who works in Industry.
Just an idea of a Sunday morning....

An other pic of the alloy tank tail : heavy canvas with thin cardboard painted in blue , which use ? maybe for aerodynamics ?
http://i54.tinypic.com/1zgwd8n.jpg

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Bonjour, Oui bien sûr.

I just took a technical point of view. Your's is available too: Is it possible that one Octane degree was more agressive than another one hence justified a different metal? I doubt, but why not.

Continuing my thoughts:
The tank was tightly secured on one point only: This being situated on central brace top and permiting a quick and easy release.
Four inversed "T" peaces of metal where introduced one by one in the four slots we are taking about to avoid pitch-roll-yoke etc movements and firmly maintained in place by a strong spring (One "T", one spring) always in compression, of course. This design helped to release the tank Of course.
I suppose those "T" had the capacity to turn around it's vertical axis when free, hence the difference between the two tanks.

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Granville, I can see what you are saying only if the tanks were pre-fueled. I have never come across pre-fueled tanks.

ouidjat, is on the right track with his T peices.

Re: 2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn
 

Hi;

I wanted to resurrect this thread to ask if anyone had taken measurements of these tanks, such as diameter, length, distance between brackets, etc.? I would be extremely interested in this.....

Paul