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Trying to find out some info.

about napalm tanks used by the 118th Tactical Reco


nnaissance Squadron in China in 1944-1945.
These tanks were made by the Hindustan Aircraft Ltd, Bangalore, India, and were
designed as fuel tanks. They had a 75 US gal. capacity. They were used by a few
P-40 units, and the 118th TRS P-51's, but were later used as napalm tanks by at
least one P-47 unit in Burma, and by the 118th TRS in China. They are similar in
size and shape to the standard P-51 drop tank, but are a bit more bulbous, and
less streamlined - they have welds, seams and rivets everywhere!
A 55 gal oil drum could also be converted to become a napalm bomb, dropped from
B-24's, with a pair of white phosphorus igniters fitted on the fin assembly. Th
is particular one has makeshift wooden fins, although others had the fins from b
ombs added.
Drop tanks of 108 US Gal capacity in steel were still used by the USAAF, but the
se became more common from American production sources. These could be identifie
d by their finish in Neutral Gray paint. The British - produced paper tanks, dis
tinguishable by their 'ribbed' appearance and silver doped finish, were used on
the P47 and P51, as well as the 'tear drop' steel under-wing tanks on the latter
, and the early steel belly tank, and later, flatter belly tank on the former.
The paper tanks were made of Kraft paper laminated with resorcinol glue. There w
ere three main components: the nose cone, tail cone ,the middle body. These were
shaped over wood forms. The paper was wound around the main body because it was
a simple cylinder.The cones were more complex and were hand laminated.The paper
that covered the cones was cut like flower petals. As each layer was aplied wit
h glue it was squeegeed with a specially shaped squeegee. After forming wood baf
fles were riveted in place. Other pipes and fitting were added. The interiors of
the three sub assemblies were coated with glue and then sprayed with fuel resis
tant shellac laquer. The three assemblies were bonded together in a horizontal h
and cranked press. Once the tank was cured it was pressure tested to 6 psi.. Ac
ceptable tanks were then given two coats of cellulose dope. They were then given
two coats of aluminum paint applied by spray. Stenciling was then applied.
"First Lieutenant Joe Warren is posing in from of his combat-ready Thunderbolt.
As from early 1945, the 508th took 4 armour-piercing rockets on nearly every fig
hter-bomber mission. Joe's aurcraft is also carrying 2 napalm bombs, made of Ger
man 300-litre drop tanks. The withdrawing Luftwaffe had left these tanks behind
at St. Trond in large numbers. Filled with a thickened fuel mixture and fitted w
tih a white phosphorous fuse for ignition, these self-made napalm bombs filled t
he gap in the American bomb supply in early 1945."

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