Quick Question

[FTJR]

The octane fuel used in late WW2, if it spilt onto the wing surface, what colour would it be?

Tks.

[5PointOh]

My guess is it would have a grimey look.  Like when you spill gas on the side of your car and dirt and dust collect to it.

[oboe]

Agree with Coprhead.   Except it did just occur to me that maybe this is something we've been showing wrong.   If the wing itself is already dirty and grimey, then the spilled fuel would actually sort of clean it (ever use gas or alcohol as a solvent?) and then evaporate.

Also though, the constant spilling onto a painted surface would have to wear then paint pretty badly, so the area of the fuel spills should be a faded color if it's a painted surface.

Thanks for bringing this up

[FTJR]

Thanks for you replies guys. Most people have skinned it with red drips, which I guess is caused by the additives of the day, but the solvent part is an interesting observation.

Cheers

[jocko-]

I'm not sure when they started adding dye to fuels for identification, might have started post war, but:

80/87 Red

100/130 Green

115/145 Purple

[5PointOh]

Something to also consider (Fencer brought this up to me) is the theater of operation.  The 8th AAF planes were mostly at permanent airfields as compared to the makeshift airfields of the pacific.

Ie Shima airfield on the island of Okanawa (note the sandy taxiways):


355th FG plane on taxi at Steeple Morden Airfield in England (Concrete or asphalt taxi way):


355th FG P47s taking off (Concrete or asphalt runway):


Unknown FG P-38 taking off (note the dust from the ground under the metal laid airstrip):