2 LW fighters drop-tank in a french barn

[Granville]

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

[DaveM2]

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

[Spanferkel]

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

[Pilot]

Steel drop tank????

By the way- excellent images, thank you

[Granville]

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 ?

[Adriano Baumgartner]

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

[DB601E]

Salut,

in wich region/departement the drop was was found?

Greetings

Lino

[Granville]

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" ?

[DB601E]

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

[RolandF]

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