rossm Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Does anyone (Edgar?) have drawings of the various Spitfire slipper tanks and how they were located on the fuselage please? I have seen photos of a large one (90 gal) attached with its front level with the wing leading edge, a smaller but still lumpy one (45 gal?) set further back and then there is the slim one which I don't have a clear photo of the location for - needless to say I think that is the type I need for a D-Day period Spit VII of 131 Sqdn. Once I have the info all I need is to match up the varied offerings in 1/72 kits to see if there's anything more than a remote resemblance!!! Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) Are you referring to fuselage or wing slipper tanks? When I did my research for the Spitfire II LR wing slipper tank I produce it became apparent that the drawings I could find did not match what could be seen in photos! Drawings (especially ones not based on manufacturers' drawings) can be remarkably inaccurate, even when produced by well known authorities. I would go with the parts that look most similar to what you can see in photos. At least the photo is of something that existed! Stewart Edited January 29, 2012 by 3DStewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 It's the fuselage tanks and where they fit on the centre section. I think Edgar has said in a previous post that the downward identification light was obscured but later moved. If I put the tank I think should be using in the position to obscure the light it could be too far back but the photos aren't from an angle which makes it obvious exactly where the front of the tank was. So for a 30 gallon tank slipper under the fuselage does anyone have a clear idea of the correct location please? Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 This is all that I have; no drawings, sorry, but it might give you a start. Edgar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 This is all that I have; no drawings, sorry, but it might give you a start.Edgar Thank you Edgar, I think that is enough as I have photos showing the 90 gal tank starting at the leading edge of the wing, Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggers Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Pretty sure there's a cut-out at the front to fit around the carb intake too,especially on the 90 gallon versions. I do know that none other than Alex Henshaw did some of the drop tests over the Aberporth Ranges out of Blennenerch airfield to check that the tank came away from the airframe cleanly. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkHarrier Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) This may be a belated entry but after my father died in 2006, I went through his papers and discovered a photo of, presumably, the prototype slipper tank. My mother had once mentioned that he had designed "something" for the Spitfire. Some googling later revealed a patent in his name (and two others who were management). http://www.google.com.au/patents?id=lBx-AA...p;q&f=false The work was done in the early 1940s at Southern Aircraft (Gatwick) I heard from some forgotten source that they made nearly 200,000 of them I would also love to see Henshaw's report on the tests over Wales if it exists. Cheers Nick Lindsley PS there seems to be a lack of dimensions on the drawings. Perhaps because they were trying to make it a generic patent. Love to know. Edited July 24, 2012 by PinkHarrier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamf Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 This may be a belated entry but after my father died in 2006, I went through his papers and discovered a photo of, presumably, the prototype slipper tank. My mother had once mentioned that he had designed "something" for the Spitfire. Some googling later revealed a patent in his name (and two others who were management).http://www.google.com.au/patents?id=lBx-AA...p;q&f=false The work was done in the early 1940s at Southern Aircraft (Gatwick) I heard from some forgotten source that they made nearly 200,000 of them I would also love to see Henshaw's report on the tests over Wales if it exists. Cheers Nick Lindsley PS there seems to be a lack of dimensions on the drawings. Perhaps because they were trying to make it a generic patent. Love to know. Well done Nick, what you have provided there is quite brilliant, it looks like the finished article to me so getting a size from photios shoudn't be too difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkHarrier Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Well done Nick, what you have provided there is quite brilliant, it looks like the finished article to me so getting a size from photios shoudn't be too difficult. I am just assuming that the drawings in the patent are in fact those of the slipper tank fitted to the Spitfire. No where is the Spitfire mentioned in the application. Probably lawyers knowing what is better than engineers! I guess patent applications are a dark art but if someone can clarify the issue, please let me know. I do know that Dad never, ever received a cent for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) The illustrations in patent applications, certainly modern ones, tend towards the generic rather than the specific. The aim to protect the idea, rather than the application, therefore the illustration may often be quite general. Not to say that's necessarily so in this case (they may just have used the drawings they had for the Spit tank), but it would pay to be careful IMO. Very interesting read though; thanks for the link Nick. cheers, Jason Edited July 24, 2012 by JasonC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 It (sort of) ties in with other information, found locally; Mosquito droptanks were also made of wood, which could explain why they're so rare. Edgar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkHarrier Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I wonder what material this slipper tank was made of. It looks like an alloy. It is in Colorado. Slipper tank at Aspen Pic 1 Slipper tank at Aspen Pic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Bunker Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Just a couple of notes on patents - they are almost never dimensioned, the idea being to patent an idea or a concept generally, not a specific sized item. So the patent relates to all slipper tanks, not 90, 120 or whatever size tanks. With regard to earnings from patents, if the patent is done on behalf of a company you are working for, they pay for the costs (which can be large) and so they take the earnings. Patents usually have to be in a person's, not a company's name. Douglas Engelbart patented the computer mouse in 1970 but received not one penny from it as he was working for a company at the time who paid him a salary to develop and patent it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lufbramatt Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I have these: The fuselage frame stations are marked along the top to work out where they attach. I have higher res versions if you want to pm me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feropete Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hello Ross, the attached drawings and photos may be of help. They come from a report by the RAAF on range trials of the Spitfire VC fitted with 30 gallon and 90 gallon slipper tanks. Note that the projection on these drawings is such that the plan view is of the tank's upper surface. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOAN Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 ...and a bigger one here : Olivier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted July 27, 2012 Author Share Posted July 27, 2012 ...and a bigger one here :Olivier Thanks for those photos - and to everyone for all the recent new information. I wish I had seen them before I "corrected" the big slipper tank I had to make the sides vertical, which is what I thought they should be! Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 A non-model making friend has just told me that there was an article in Planes magazine Issue 1 Volume 1 edited by Philip J R Moyes covering the extremely large tank used to fly from Gib to Malta direct. The photos from JOAN look like this application. The article had drawings by Arthur Bentley. Sorry I don't have a copy. I wished I did. Theres also some info in Shacklady's huge Spitfire book. That I do have somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feropete Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 (edited) A non-model making friend has just told me that there was an article in Planes magazine Issue 1 Volume 1 edited by Philip J R Moyes covering the extremely large tank used to fly from Gib to Malta direct. The photos from JOAN look like this application. The article had drawings by Arthur Bentley. Sorry I don't have a copy. I wished I did. I have that article. Drgs are by Grainger not Bentley. If you want I can scan and PM you. Peter Edited July 30, 2012 by feropete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Hi feropete If you could that'll be great. Thank You very much. It's been on my 'must build someday' list for a while now. I think I've got the information to start with that. If the PM doesn't work join all this up and replace the AT nich ol as perry. 198 AT bt inter net. com ignore after the com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Whiteley-Bolton Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I have that article. Drgs are by Grainger not Bentley. If you want I can scan and PM you.Peter Peter, I would have appreciate a scanned copy if you would't mind. Many thanks in advance. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkHarrier Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wouldn't mind a bit of that too. If flickr or photobucket are used as repositories, it is easy to download. Before I forget, Brian Buss (Brian.Buss AT btinternet. com) is writing a book about Southern Aircraft at Gatwick and is about to publish. He would love any late information and/or photographs relating to the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelpillow Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Coming late to the party: According to Supermarine's Chief Designer from 1938, J.Smith, there were four sizes of slipper-style drop tank: 30, 45, 90 and 170 gal. The original 30-gal. was conformally mounted but the later types were spaced a short distance on struts from the airframe, to reduce drag. Over 300,000 of all types were manufactured. (Source: Smith, J.; "The development of the Spitfire and Seafire", Supermarine Spitfire 40th Anniversary, RAeS, (Southampton Branch), 1976.) There is a 1:72 scale drawing of the 30 gal. tank in a 3-view which appeared in Scale Models, October 1978, p.491. The RAAF used slipper tanks in the defence of Darwin and the later Pacific campaign. The Spitfire squadrons' No.2 in the air, E.M. "Bill" Gibbes, managed to accidentally drop one on a house while testing them. There seem to be a fair number of resin sets available in various scales now, for example this set of all four in 1:72: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ASQ72082 I don't know how accurate any of the offerings are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelpillow Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Got myself the Attack Squadron 1:72 resin set of 30, 40, 90 and 170 gal tanks. Accuracy of the 30 and 90 matches reasonably well the two drawings still linked in previous posts, though the 90 gal seems a little long. Comparing the 30 gal with a photo of an Aussie Mk. VC flying over, it looks a touch too narrow, but nothing that a couple of plasticard shims and a dab of troll paté can't fix. Another thing about them is the very delicate rear end butting into the pouring block: the trailing edge tends to break off with the block while trimming/filing down, leaving a rather more subtle plasticard/filler game to finish off neatly. On the plus side there is some fine detail which it would be next to impossible to scratchbuild: compared to that option, these are definitely recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Thanks for the review @steelpillow, I was eyeing up that set. One to be added on to the next order, methinks. Were the 170 gal. tanks used for anything other than delivery flights? John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now