What happenned to fuel tanks dropped over SE Asia

[xaoslaad]

http://theaviationist.com/2013/09/18/fuel-tanks-se-asia/

[GripenNG]

That´s some huge droptanks, what aircraft where they for?

[xaoslaad]

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Fuel-tanks-jettisoned-by-US-jets-in-Vietnam-War-repurposed-by-locals.jpg Here is a picture with a plate with specification of one. Considering everything up to B-52's were flown in Vietnam I guess there could be some large tanks around.

[effte]

People often underestimate the size of aircraft in general, and the size of hung stores in particular. What looks small slung under the wing of an aircraft at distance is rather large when you get up close - but for obvious reasons, most people rarely get to walk up to tactical jets.

 

Googling for some numbers results in an F-4 370 gal drop tank at over six meters. That's a sizeable canoe right there - and those aren't all that big, as far as drop tanks go.

 

Edit: Do you recognize a feature?

 

Cheers,

/Fred

Edited October 5, 2014 by effte

[GripenNG]

People often underestimate the size of aircraft in general, and the size of hung stores in particular. What looks small slung under the wing of an aircraft at distance is rather large when you get up close - but for obvious reasons, most people rarely get to walk up to tactical jets.

 

Googling for some numbers results in an F-4 370 gal drop tank at over six meters. That's a sizeable canoe right there - and those aren't all that big, as far as drop tanks go.

 

Edit: Do you recognize a feature?

 

Cheers,

/Fred

 

You are most certinaly right effte, I guess pictures give you a little bit of distortion too. But I´ve never seen droptanks in that enviroment either! Glad they came to some use anyway!

[Flying Penguin]

Surely those have got to be from left over supplies rather than actual drops? They don't look nearly sturdy enough to survive a drop from flying heights and flying speeds with barely a ding....

 

Perhaps the lesson is that when you crash your car, send it to Vietnam, home of the magic panel beaters! ;)

[Maximus_G]

They're sturdy enough to withstand fuel weight, airspeed and some Gs, and they're very light, so i can easily imagine that some of them (keeping in mind the vast numbers dropped) had nice soft landings on trees.