Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Wildcatdad on December 07, 2014, 08:11:33 AM

Title: Dumb question
Post by: Wildcatdad on December 07, 2014, 08:11:33 AM

OK, how do self sealing fuel tanks work in real life? Are they modeled in game?
 :salute

Title: Re: Dumb question
Post by: The Fugitive on December 07, 2014, 09:07:20 AM

Google is your friend!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwvlZISfMeg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-sealing_fuel_tank

Title: Re: Dumb question
Post by: oboe on December 07, 2014, 09:16:04 AM

I *think* that self-sealing tanks are modeled in the game in some manner.  IIRC, the G4M Betty bomber catches fire easily in the game, and the Japanese neglected to fit self-sealing tanks to this aircraft as a weight-saving measure to increase its range...

Title: Re: Dumb question
Post by: DaveBB on December 09, 2014, 08:19:27 PM

Self-sealing fuel tanks were usually three layers.  The inner and out layer were hardened rubber, while the middle layer was raw rubber.  If a bullet went through the tank, the raw rubber would congeal and harden when exposed to gas.  There is really good footage of a P47 getting shot up by a 190, and you can see a fuel tank get hit, spray some fuel, then stop leaking.