Self Sealing fuel tanks

[Jon]

What was the purpose of the thick leather sewn around the fuel tanks on the HE111.
Was it part of the self sealing system or to stop static electricity etc !!!!

[Mikael Olrog]

Hi Jon,

The leather was at least on some aircraft from moose sourced in Norway. It was used on other aircraft than the He 111, like for example the Ju 88. THere is a fuel tank from a Ju 88 on show at the Technicki Muzej, Zagreb which is opened up so that one can see the construction of the fuel tank and it includes leather too. Also in the Ju 88s under restoration in Norway have they found the same construction.

The fuel tanks where made out of rubber, so I guess the leather wasn't needed for static electricity, but it would rather have been a part of the self sealing fuel tank construction. At least that is my guess.

Best wishes
/Mikael

[David Ransome]

Hi,

Yes, I believe that the leather was part of the self sealing system. Whilst I have found leather 'binding' on fuel tanks I have also found man made heavy duty fabric used on similar tanks, but generally from a later aircraft.

I think that the leather/fabric was possibly used to retain the shape and integrity of the rubber? I've got a copy of a British report on German self sealing tanks somewhere but regrettably would have great difficulty in trying to locate it in the foreseeable future - possibly from a 1940 aircraft magazine?

Regards

David