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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0156.PDF
The Hawker Fury carries its two 90-gallon drop tanks well intwrrf. A Sen Mosquito with 50-gallon drop tanks on the folded wings EXTERNAL TANKS . . . the Meteor, Vampire and Attacker typify the latest British practice. To extend the range of the Meteor—a relatively small aircraft with two powerful turbojets necessitated a very substantial increase in fuel supply. In part, the demand is being met by lengthening the forward part of the fuse- lage, but a 180-gallon jettisonable belly tank and two jettisonable wing tanks of ioo gallons each are supplied as optional equipment. The belly tank is slung below the main fuselage tank, to which- fuel is transferred by air pressure tapped from the compressor casing of one of the Derwent turbojets, via float-type delivery valves. When all the fuel has been transferred, a warning light shows in the cockpit. A combined lever operates the air pressure and jettison release gear. Republic F-84 Thunder jet, with full tankage. On tile most recent marks of Vampire, the ioorgallon metal under-wing tanks are pressurized for fuel transfer by means of a vacuum pump. From these (as from the fuselage tank) fuel passes through a common collector box and filter to a gear-driven pump, and thence to a pressure fuel cock. The largest external tank yet made in this country for a fighter is that of the Supermarine Attacker. This is of 270 gallons capacity and of fine aerodynamic form. A very carefully designed fillet secures a snug fit against the under- surface of the fuselage. The 180-gallon belly tank for the piston-engined Seafang naval fighter, as will be judged from the illustration, is of totally different design, being of '' airship'' form and mounted at a slightly nose-down angle to the line of flight. Provision is made under the wings of the Seafang, as in other Supermarine piston-engined fighters, for 45-gallon "combat" tanks, stressed, as Sweep-back necessitates inboard mounting of the F-86's drop tanks. Outsize " tip tanks on a Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star The Northrop XF-89, with tip tanks, is in the fashion.
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