The planes had a fuel tank selector which usually had four settings: OFF, Gravit

y Tank, Main to Gravity and Main Tank.

Sometimes, like in French SPAD 7 and 13 the fuel from the main tank was transfer
red from the main tank through gravity tank and then to the engine.
Gravity tank was used as a spare one or for the engine start (fuel used gravity
to go to the engine since the tank was above the engine position in vertical) an
d then, when the plane had a speed and the engine driven or anemometer driven fu
el pump was working, the pilot could switch the selector to the main tank.
Many WW1 planes used two tanks. One, the main one located behind the engine or s
ometimes under the pilot's seat. The second one was installed mostly in the cent
er upper wing.
There was an hand pump by which pilot pressurized main tank forcing fuel, as a c
onsequence, to raise up to gravity tank. This latter fed engine, allowing pilot
not to pump until there was enough fuel left in it.
Most WW1 aircraft used separate main and reserve (gravity) tanks, for the reason
given above; the gravity tank was a back-up to the main in case of equipment fa
ilure. Some aircraft had separate fillers for each tank, as in the Camel, or the
hand pressure pump was used to raise fuel to the reserve, then the main topped
off again, as in the SE5a. Single tank systems may have been able to be used as
either pressure or gravity.