Can external fuel tanks be used as bombs?

Known as “drop tanks,” these simple devices extend the range of the aircraft they’re hooked up to by carrying extra usable fuel. Back during World War II, however, attack pilots found a secondary use for drop tanks as improvised bombs, used to bombard enemy ground positions.

What happened to the external fuel tank?

Unlike the boosters, however, the external tank is not collected and reused. Instead, the tanks are discarded to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. The next tank to fly will be used by the space shuttle Discovery, which is scheduled to lift off next month on an 11-day mission to the space station.

Why do Jets drop fuel tanks?

The drop tank was used during the Spanish Civil War to allow fighter aircraft to carry additional fuel for long-range escort flights without requiring a dramatically larger, heavier, less maneuverable fuselage. The Allies commonly used them to allow fighters increased range and patrol time over continental Europe.

Can a tank be dropped by parachute?

The M551, unlike its predecessors, was airdrop-capable, meaning it could be inserted using parachutes instead of gliders. The tank was also used with the Low-Altitude Parachute Extraction System, an airdrop system that allowed the U.S. to drop the tanks from a few feet to a few dozen feet off the ground.

What is a external fuel tank?

The external tank contains the liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer and supplies them under pressure to the three space shuttle main engines in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent.

Why are external fuel tanks used in drop tanks?

External fuel tanks will also increase the moment of inertia, thereby reducing roll rates for air maneuvres. Some of the drop tank’s fuel is used to overcome the added drag and weight of the tank itself.

Why do you get better gas mileage on a full tank to half?

So, if your tank happens to have a tank that is shaped as I described above, there is a greater volume of fuel in the top than the bottom, so it will use it up slower than the smaller quantity of fuel at the bottom, so the level (Gauge) will fall slower in the top than the bottom.

What makes a gas tank full or half empty?

The evaporation of fuel in the tank is amplified by the temperature, more so than that of a storage tank. First, fuel tanks are not double walled like many storage tanks (for spill containment) which adds some insulation, secondly many cars have a fuel return line which returns excess fuel to the tank. Usually by pressure regulator.

How big is a full tank of gas?

The fuel consumption based on the wight of the fuel is insignificant considering the mass of the vehicle, compared to the two states from full to half ,and from half to empty. When full, a tank of gas contains 50 litres of fuel. (for most cars) for larger vehicles, it could be 75 litres, for a larger pick up truck it could be 100 litres.

Do you get better gas mileage with a full tank?

The only reason I can think of for not filling your tank full every time you go to the gas station is if you cannot afford a full tank of gas. The mileage savings is not enough of an improvement to only fill your tank to 1/2 to overcome the extra time you will spend at the gas station.

Why is it important to keep 1 / 4 tank of gas in car?

This could cause a problem if the fuel pump sucked up any sediment within the fuel tank and sent it to the engine. In addition to potentially causing problems with the fuel pump, this rusty sediment could also plug fuel lines, as well as the fuel filter, and could damage the engine itself.

Can external fuel tanks be used as bombs?