B-25 Bomb Bay Ferry Type fuel tank saved!

Wed Dec 26, 2007 5:08 pm

Heres my latest save to share with all!

This is a Ferry Type bomb bay fuel tank for the B-25

A great gentleman named Chuck saved this from destruction years ago when a friend bought it to make a geese feeder out of! He has kept it for years in his barn at his ranch and has traded us for it to restore it and possibly use it one day if we ever go somewhere far enough or if someone says FREE GAS HERE!!!!

Teardown has already started and with all said and done, there might be 2 places of corrosion to fix, minor though and about 20ish rivets that have had there heads popped off over the years.

Heres the photos on the way home and the data plate.

Wed Dec 26, 2007 5:39 pm

Nice save. It's great when these things are saved, especially after sixty years of unlikely survival.

Cheers,
Matt

Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:55 am

That is a very cool find.

Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:07 pm

A-Maz-Ing!
Hard to believe stuff like that is around...a possible goose feeder??
Wow...

Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:53 pm

Excellent Save.....Excellent!! Who's B-25 will this go to?

Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:54 pm

This lovely tank is for our Pride and Joy,
"Executive Sweet"

Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:04 am

Is Sweet still owned by Challenge publications? been outta the loop for a while

Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:36 am

Thats a difficult, yet very simple to answer question. The aircraft belongs to the American Aeronautical Foundation, a certified now 501c(3) Non-Profit Educational Institution. But , without saying names, the Challenge Publication individual is the board chairman for the foundation. Hope this helps.

Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:05 pm

Superb save, Dave! Looking forward to the day I can squirt some "go juice" in her on my dime when ya'll get to PHX to do an airshow one day.

I've never seen another tank like that. It is indeed a rarity, at least to me, Keep diggin' out there!

Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:15 pm

Definitely! There is rumor that the guy I got this tank from, has a line on a second one from the same estate sale. Im franticly working to see if this is true and find a way to save that one too!@

Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:25 am

noizeedave,

Congratulations on that rare find. That is one cool looking accessory to put on the patio! It just goes to show that stuff is still around if one is only lucky and persistent. Here are a pair of ratty B-29 bombay tanks that belong to our Historical Society in Nebraska:

These were in use just a few years ago as fuel tanks for a local farming operation. They're rough, but complete with gauges and fittings.

Oh, the bus is NOT government issue, it's just painted that way. :wink:

Scott

Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:36 am

Those tanks would look good restored and installed in the aft bay of the
Enola Gay or Bockscar... :wink:

Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:36 am

Hmmm.....

You've given me an idea, Scott. :idea:

I can't tell you what it is, but if I pull it off you'll be the first to know.

Thanks, bud!
Scott

Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:20 am

You know if FiFi had them installed it would mean alot more fuel could be loaded from an airshow which for big warbirds fuel is the same as Money!

Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:26 am

Hello,

The Enola Gay needs those bomb bay tanks to make her more complete. Would your organization donate them to the project? This is the one major item that they are in need of to make her complete.

If the museum does not want to donate them to the Enola Gay how about a trade? I will gladly come up with something to trade so they could be donated to the NASM project.

What will it take to get those tanks in the aft bomb bay of the Enola Gay?

Thanks for posting the shots!

Taigh