How accurate is the cylindrical belly drop tank on 21st Century's 1/18 and 1/32 P-47s?
I thought most, if not all, P-47s used the flattened belly drop tank. I did find a few photos of round belly drop tanks, but one P-47 appeared to be a prototype or test plane and the other was a plastic model.
21st Century P-47 drop tank question?
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Black_Dragon_One
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Here's the best direct quote I could find on P-47 drop tanks used and when:
The P-47D-15 was produced in response to requests by combat units for increased range. The internal fuel capacity was increased to 375 U.S. gallons (1,421 L) and the bomb racks under the wings were made "wet" (equipped with fuel plumbing) to allow a jettisonable drop tank pressurized by vented exhaust air to be carried under each wing, in addition to the belly tank. Five different auxiliary tanks were fitted to the Thunderbolt during its career:
200 U.S. gallon (758 L) ferry tank, a conformal tub-shaped jettisonable tank made of paper, which barely cleared the ground on grass airfields, was used as an interim measure between 30 July and 31 August 1943;
75 U.S. gallon (284 L) drop tank, a teardrop-shaped steel tank produced for the P-39, was adapted to the P-47 beginning 31 August 1943, initially carried on a belly shackle but used in pairs in 1944 as underwing tanks;
108-gallon (409 L) drop tank, a cylindrical paper tank of British design and manufacture, used as a belly tank beginning in September 1943 and a wing tank in April 1944;
150 U.S. gallon (568 L) drop tank, a steel tank first used as a belly 20 February 1944, and an underwing tank 22 May 1944;
215 U.S. gallon (810 L) belly tank, a wide, flat steel tank developed by VIII Service Command that allowed performance-degrading wing pylons to be removed, was first used in February 1945.
The P-47D-15 was produced in response to requests by combat units for increased range. The internal fuel capacity was increased to 375 U.S. gallons (1,421 L) and the bomb racks under the wings were made "wet" (equipped with fuel plumbing) to allow a jettisonable drop tank pressurized by vented exhaust air to be carried under each wing, in addition to the belly tank. Five different auxiliary tanks were fitted to the Thunderbolt during its career:
200 U.S. gallon (758 L) ferry tank, a conformal tub-shaped jettisonable tank made of paper, which barely cleared the ground on grass airfields, was used as an interim measure between 30 July and 31 August 1943;
75 U.S. gallon (284 L) drop tank, a teardrop-shaped steel tank produced for the P-39, was adapted to the P-47 beginning 31 August 1943, initially carried on a belly shackle but used in pairs in 1944 as underwing tanks;
108-gallon (409 L) drop tank, a cylindrical paper tank of British design and manufacture, used as a belly tank beginning in September 1943 and a wing tank in April 1944;
150 U.S. gallon (568 L) drop tank, a steel tank first used as a belly 20 February 1944, and an underwing tank 22 May 1944;
215 U.S. gallon (810 L) belly tank, a wide, flat steel tank developed by VIII Service Command that allowed performance-degrading wing pylons to be removed, was first used in February 1945.
US Army MP Corps combat veteran Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
Yes sir it is. As you can see for the list above, the fat/flat centerline tank didn't start being used until February 1945. By then, alot of the combat flying was close range (from fields liberated in France) and ground attack (meaning more ordinance, less extra fuel).
US Army MP Corps combat veteran Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm