US/NATO Aircraft drop tank weights

[awj112]

Obio's thread about the P-47's drop tanks got me thinking again. There are several modern aircraft with drop tanks. Everybody factors in the fuel weight added to the aircraft but no one has actually accounted for the drop tank weight. Does anyone know for example how much an empty US 330 gallon tank for the F-16 or F/A-18 Weigh? the other big one that sticks out are the zeppelin (I think that is what they are called) tanks and the smaller tanks for the Tornado. Empty weights would be appreciated.

[falcon409]

. . . . .Does anyone know for example how much an empty US 330 gallon tank for the F-16 or F/A-18 Weigh?. . . . . .

Ok, verified by a friend of mine in the Fuel Shop at Carswell (F-16):
370's (not 330) Wing Tanks hold approx. 2500lbs each (Dry weight approx.700lbs with pylon).
300 Centerline holds approx. 2000lbs (Dry weight approx 500lbs). :salute:

[awj112]

Gracias Falcon. I think the Eagles all use the 370 Gallon tanks in all three locations; including centerline since the Eagle has higher undercarage.

[strikehawk]

I used to load weapons on the Hornet and the A-6 as well as the P-3 so allow me to put in my 2 cents. The 330 gal drop tank on the F/A-18 is made of kevlar and weighs a lot less than the 300 gal center line on the Viper. If I remember it only took a couple of us to handle it empty is need be but we normally had a four man team. I would say the tank was around 250 lbs at most, dry. I could be off on the weights since the last time I loaded one of them was in 95 but not by much. The pylon complete with BRU-32 rack was about 300 lbs, again from memory and it too was normally mounted with out special equipment. Figure any of the racks, BRU-10/BRU-11, BRU-32 will weigh any where from 50-100+ lbs depending on size.

Since I have long put my load manuals in storage and it's not easy to find exact weights online, this is the only reference that may help...
http://www.tpub.com/content/aviation/14023/

It may not have weights for the tanks but it does give better approximate weight for other stores and weapons. It will also show the racks themselves to give an idea of how much the might weigh. Remember, weapon carriage components will be only as heavy as needed to support a given weapon load, and on naval aircraft they are a lot lighter.

IYAOYAS:salute:

[fsafranek]

Gracias Falcon. I think the Eagles all use the 370 Gallon tanks in all three locations; including centerline since the Eagle has higher undercarage.

You mean the F-15 Eagle? Those are 600 gallon tanks. F-4's carry 370 gallon tanks under the wings.
:ernae:

[padburgess]

Hi

The standard US 2000lb drop tank as used on the A4 Skyhawk, and a lot of others, weighed about 200-250lbs empty. We used to lift them with two people. One each end.

Went a bit wrong one day in the hanger when we released an "empty" tank with two guys ready to hold it and it wasn't quite dry. 2000lbs of jet fuel not dry. To see the look on those two guys faces as the tank just slammed into the hanger floor at their feet was priceless. Not quite as priceless as the look on the corporal's face as he was supposed to have checked it was empty.

He just Ass-u-me-d that it was as why else would we have been told to remove it.
Needless to say we de-fueled the other side before releasing it.

Paul

[awj112]

You mean the F-15 Eagle? Those are 600 gallon tanks. F-4's carry 370 gallon tanks under the wings.
:ernae:

Didn't realize they were that much bigger. :|

[aeromed202]

This is a little to the side of the topic but it may be a chance to get a question answered. There was once a short discussion that came out of the f-84f tanks and why they were pitched down when mounted. Many other aircraft do this like the f-18 and I thought it was so that when they were dropped they would separate away from the aircraft quickly. Can anyone here explain why drop tanks generally are not mounted in-line with the long axis of an aircraft?

[AndyG43]

Didn't realize they were that much bigger. :|

I thought the F-15 tanks were 610 gallons, but I could well be wrong. I know that towards the end of their careers with the USAF some F-4E and F-4G's were modded to carry F-15 tanks on the centerline - apparently this was mainly due to a better G-tolerance, but I was under the impression there was also a small increase in capacity. And as far as I know this mod has now been carried over to the F-4EJ Kai upgraded Tombs flown in Japan.

[awj112]

I thought the F-15 tanks were 610 gallons, but I could well be wrong. I know that towards the end of their careers with the USAF some F-4E and F-4G's were modded to carry F-15 tanks on the centerline - apparently this was mainly due to a better G-tolerance, but I was under the impression there was also a small increase in capacity. And as far as I know this mod has now been carried over to the F-4EJ Kai upgraded Tombs flown in Japan.

Most of the references I have seen are 610. Still much more than the 370 I mistakenly thought.

[fsafranek]

I thought the F-15 tanks were 610 gallons, but I could well be wrong. I know that towards the end of their careers with the USAF some F-4E and F-4G's were modded to carry F-15 tanks on the centerline - apparently this was mainly due to a better G-tolerance, but I was under the impression there was also a small increase in capacity. And as far as I know this mod has now been carried over to the F-4EJ Kai upgraded Tombs flown in Japan.

I think you're right about that 610 capacity. The original design F-4 centerline tanks were 600.