Mysterious drop tank. Need help identifying.

[Obie303]

Could use some help with this one gents.  This drop tank has been sitting on my grandfather's farm for a very, very long time.  This is all the back story I have and could use a little help in figuring out what type f plane it fell off of.

The back story;  When I was a young, my grandfather told me that a pilot had to make an emergency landing at the Southbridge Municipal Airport, located in Southbridge, Massachusetts.  Prior coming in for a landing, the pilot jettisoned this external fuel tank.  It landed in my grandfather's field.  It has been mostly forgotten over the years.  Trying to remember back then, I believe my grandfather said the tank was from a WWII plane.  

The only information I've been able to dig up was the Southbridge Airport was used in WWII as an emergency landing strip only and was not used by the USAAF.  In 1942, the only reported crash of a military craft was a P47C, but that was in the Town of Sturbridge.  That wreckage was located and this tank does not appear to have come from a Jug.  I also don't know of any civilian aircraft that used external drop tanks at that time.

Now that I'm much, much older, and my grandfather is sadly no longer living, this topic came up when I was talking with my father (who know owns the property now).  Some scrapper asked if he could have it.  I told my father not to give it away till I did some research.  Besides the value of the aluminum, I wanted to know if there was a back story to this.  I've talked with local historians about the airport and have come up empty.  

The dimensions of the tank are;  

LENGTH:  11 Feet
WIDTH:     2 Feet
HEIGHT:    2 Feet

As you can see, there is still some of the original paint, but there are no panel serial numbers.  The only visible markings appear to be a small stencil that I tried to photograph.  It appears that they are instructions on how to attach the tank.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.  There is a serial number, but it appears to be for the clamps used to attach the tank.



Looks like these were where the tank was attached.


Forward view.


Rear view


Bottom of the tank.  Release valves?

[JOACH1M]

That is sweet!


If I were you I'd keep it!!

I really want to scuba dive in the lakes around our state, check out all of the corsairs and hellcats that are scattered about...

[Guppy35]

Looks Corsair to me.

[The Fugitive]

Dang Obie, I wish you would have said something about this a few years ago. My father-in-law was an Historian for Southbridge. Unfortunately he also is no longer with us, but I'm sure if the plane came down in Southbridge he would have had some info on it. I'll ask my mother-in-law if she can give me a name or two to check with some of his old buddies.

[jolly22]

Looks Corsair to me.

(Image removed from quote.)

Thats exactly what i ws thinkin!

[HL117]

Looks like the metal 75 gallon that was used on the Mustang.



Can be found in some of manuals about the P-51 found on the Web.




HL

[Guppy35]

Looks like the metal 75 gallon that was used on the Mustang.



Can be found in some of manuals about the P-51 found on the Web.




HL

Definately not a Mustang tank

[Tyrannis]

Could use some help with this one gents.  This drop tank has been sitting on my grandfather's farm for a very, very long time.  This is all the back story I have and could use a little help in figuring out what type f plane it fell off of.

The back story;  When I was a young, my grandfather told me that a pilot had to make an emergency landing at the Southbridge Municipal Airport, located in Southbridge, Massachusetts.  Prior coming in for a landing, the pilot jettisoned this external fuel tank.  It landed in my grandfather's field.  It has been mostly forgotten over the years.  Trying to remember back then, I believe my grandfather said the tank was from a WWII plane.  

The only information I've been able to dig up was the Southbridge Airport was used in WWII as an emergency landing strip only and was not used by the USAAF.  In 1942, the only reported crash of a military craft was a P47C, but that was in the Town of Sturbridge.  That wreckage was located and this tank does not appear to have come from a Jug.  I also don't know of any civilian aircraft that used external drop tanks at that time.

Now that I'm much, much older, and my grandfather is sadly no longer living, this topic came up when I was talking with my father (who know owns the property now).  Some scrapper asked if he could have it.  I told my father not to give it away till I did some research.  Besides the value of the aluminum, I wanted to know if there was a back story to this.  I've talked with local historians about the airport and have come up empty.  

The dimensions of the tank are;  

LENGTH:  11 Feet
WIDTH:     2 Feet
HEIGHT:    2 Feet

As you can see, there is still some of the original paint, but there are no panel serial numbers.  The only visible markings appear to be a small stencil that I tried to photograph.  It appears that they are instructions on how to attach the tank.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.  There is a serial number, but it appears to be for the clamps used to attach the tank.

(Image removed from quote.)

Looks like these were where the tank was attached.
(Image removed from quote.)

Forward view.
(Image removed from quote.)

Rear view
(Image removed from quote.)

Bottom of the tank.  Release valves?
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)

in the second pic it looks like the drop tank has a hole in it, ive thought up a little theory, might as well lay it out:

what if the pilot of the plane was making a long-country flight, and had this drop tank for extra fuel, but something hits the drop tank, causing that hole. which drains the fuel out of it. forcing him to make an emergency landing due to low fuel? this could of been the only drop tank on the plane, so he jettisoned it to get rid of dead weight and make it easier to land.  i would say look up planes that regularly carried only 1 droptank. (like p38s) or ask the airport if there is any records of a plane making an emergency landing at the base to refuel.



also, how much do you think a ww2 aircraft droptank is worth? 

[Tyrannis]

Could use some help with this one gents.  This drop tank has been sitting on my grandfather's farm for a very, very long time.  This is all the back story I have and could use a little help in figuring out what type f plane it fell off of.

The back story;  When I was a young, my grandfather told me that a pilot had to make an emergency landing at the Southbridge Municipal Airport, located in Southbridge, Massachusetts.  Prior coming in for a landing, the pilot jettisoned this external fuel tank.  It landed in my grandfather's field.  It has been mostly forgotten over the years.  Trying to remember back then, I believe my grandfather said the tank was from a WWII plane.  

The only information I've been able to dig up was the Southbridge Airport was used in WWII as an emergency landing strip only and was not used by the USAAF.  In 1942, the only reported crash of a military craft was a P47C, but that was in the Town of Sturbridge.  That wreckage was located and this tank does not appear to have come from a Jug.  I also don't know of any civilian aircraft that used external drop tanks at that time.

Now that I'm much, much older, and my grandfather is sadly no longer living, this topic came up when I was talking with my father (who know owns the property now).  Some scrapper asked if he could have it.  I told my father not to give it away till I did some research.  Besides the value of the aluminum, I wanted to know if there was a back story to this.  I've talked with local historians about the airport and have come up empty.  

The dimensions of the tank are;  

LENGTH:  11 Feet
WIDTH:     2 Feet
HEIGHT:    2 Feet

As you can see, there is still some of the original paint, but there are no panel serial numbers.  The only visible markings appear to be a small stencil that I tried to photograph.  It appears that they are instructions on how to attach the tank.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.  There is a serial number, but it appears to be for the clamps used to attach the tank.

(Image removed from quote.)

Looks like these were where the tank was attached.
(Image removed from quote.)

Forward view.
(Image removed from quote.)

Rear view
(Image removed from quote.)

Bottom of the tank.  Release valves?
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)

in the second pic it looks like the drop tank has a hole in it, ive thought up a little theory, might as well lay it out:

what if the pilot of the plane was making a long-country flight, and had this drop tank for extra fuel, but something hits the drop tank, causing that hole. which drains the fuel out of it. forcing him to make an emergency landing due to low fuel? this could of been the only drop tank on the plane, so he jettisoned it to get rid of dead weight and make it easier to land.  i would say look up planes that regularly carried only 1 droptank. (like p38s) or ask the airport if there is any records of a plane making an emergency landing at the base to refuel.



also, how much do you think a ww2 aircraft droptank is worth? 

[JOACH1M]

in the second pic it looks like the drop tank has a hole in it, ive thought up a little theory, might as well lay it out:

what if the pilot of the plane was making a long-country flight, and had this drop tank for extra fuel, but something hits the drop tank, causing that hole. which drains the fuel out of it. forcing him to make an emergency landing due to low fuel? this could of been the only drop tank on the plane, so he jettisoned it to get rid of dead weight and make it easier to land.  i would say look up planes that regularly carried only 1 droptank. (like p38s) or ask the airport if there is any records of a plane making an emergency landing at the base to refuel.



also, how much do you think a ww2 aircraft droptank is worth? 

It can't be to expensive, it is beat up, but for ww2 lovers it's worth something

[Debris]

I found a few photo's of what I believe is to be the same type of Drop Tank, They even have a plate on the tank that could possibly show the various types of Aircraft that could of used the tank. Of course I am no expert. But I do believe it has striking Similarities. Feel free to look at the link and with any luck it can help you narrow down your search

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37801&start=0

I really hope this helps you out. There are actually quite a few pics to help you compare it to your Drop Tank.

[Guppy35]

Those side clamps are the same as the other F4U photos.  Other possibility might be a Navy Skyraider from the 50s.

Check the two under this restored Corsair.  Think that's it

[Charge]

http://jalopnik.com/5413052/ebay-hotness-flathead+powered-belly-tank-lakester

 

-C+

[Wmaker]

http://jalopnik.com/5413052/ebay-hotness-flathead+powered-belly-tank-lakester

Very cool! 

[SlapShot]

Check this thread out ... looks like Dan nailed it as F4U.

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37801&start=0