With the new bump/spec/environmental maps we can create much more convincing natural metal skins. But the drop tanks are cramping my style. It looks like they're painted white. I wish they looked more aluminum. We have the technology. Yes I know some were painted gray or olive drab, but with only one option I think aluminum would be the more representative look. I don't know much about Luftwaffe/Japanese/Soviet DTs, so I'm talking more about US DTs here.
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I also agree, but remember, one of the reasons for the "white" looking drop tanks, they were made of a plastic impregnated paper product.
During WWII, military aircraft fuel tanks were constructed out of plastic impregnated paper, and used to extend the range of aircraft. These tanks were plumbed to the regular fuel system via detachable fittings and dropped from the aircraft when the fuel was expended, allowing short-range aircraft such as fighters to accompany long-range aircraft such as bombers on longer missions as protection forces. Two types of paper tanks were used, a 200 gallon (758 l) conformal fuel tank made by the US for the P-47 Thunderbolt, and a 108 gallon (409 l) cylindrical drop tank made by the British and used by the P-47 and the P-51 Mustang.There was 2 reasons for the disposable drop tanks being made of paper! #1, a shortage of aluminium, because of the demand for aircraft construction in the U.S., and the fact that the Germans were reusing the metal drop tanks, when they could be repaired. The amount of damage to a tank which was dropped, depended on where it landed and how it touched down. The extra fuel storage made available by these "recovered" aluminium tanks extended the range of the German tanks and vehicles, hence the decision to use "paper" tanks as they were usually damaged beyond repair and were mainly useless to the Germans. You are correct about the painting on the tanks, which usually matched the squadron colors or aircraft como.
