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Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:08 am
by Estnische
Seems to me like few fully detailed RC tanks go out there without fuel Jerry cans festooned across the engine deck.

OK so a tank that has run out of fuel is just a pillbox, and there are plenty of historical photos for evidence, but I would think the crew would be a little nervous handing the enemy a bunch of ready-made 20 litre Molotov cocktails just waiting for some smarty with a tracer round?

Anybody care to give of their knowledge or experience with tanks?

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:26 am
by Raminator
Estnische wrote:I would think the crew would be a little nervous handing the enemy a bunch of ready-made 20 litre Molotov cocktails just waiting for some smarty with a tracer round?
Well, the Jerries lost the war, so... QED?

In all seriousness though, fuel storage outside the tank isn't typically a problem; the Soviets did it all the time. Granted they used diesel instead of petrol, but the rationale is the same even if the flammability isn't. A full container isn't going to explode or burn if it's shot, since there's no air inside it. An empty container isn't going to explode or burn, because there's no fuel in it. Potentially, a half-full one could (if the shot sparked and the fuel/air mix was just right) but then a fire outside the tank is better than a fire inside the tank. You'd be fine so long as you don't store the cans above any air intakes.

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:05 am
by Estnische
I didn't think it would explode, Molotov's don't. They're just a means of lobbing petrol without wearing it yourself.

Old-fashioned diesels used to have glow-plugs to get them to start from cold. Not sure what happens with modern passenger diesels and their ECUs now.

Talking about heating, I think it was the Erich Hartmann bio where they captured a Russian pilot and made him tell them how the Russians got their aircraft started in the bitter cold when nothing worked for the Germans. They were in disbelief when he said they poured petrol into the crankcase and lit it. They didn't know whether he was trying to get them to ruin their aircraft, but it worked.

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:38 am
by HERMAN BIX
Happy Australia Day Mr E.....................thanks for sharing your country with me !!

Many of the pictures seen in archive or veteran supplied perspectives show German vehicles in-transit or in my opinion, on the way, to or from front line service.
The pics of Tigers with 205L drums on the rear deck are exactly what you say- ready made Molotov's............but no context for that image.
However, the same vehicle on its way to or from rather than IN a front line, may well have needed the extra fuel.
A Tiger unit I would assume would have a huge degree of "give me the #$@#@#'n fuel" in its supply priority, where other units would not.
As for the 20L cans, I would assume they were empty, and be handy for an opportunistic refill rather than a full can hanging out waiting to be wasted by a single rifle shot.
Imagine the consternation if a Panther crew came across an abandoned Allied tank, or better, an abandoned fuel truck and had no means of collecting & transferring said fuel !! even 20L at a time ..........going by the accepted fuel burn rate of the German tanks, a 20L can would very quickly fit into the internal tanks of all 3 common marks in service at that time assuming they were full to the top at the start of their respective line of march which is unlikely .......

Or, there is the far simpler concept of.......they look cool :shifty:

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:48 am
by silversurfer1947
This is a Panzer III at Bovington.
DSC07342.JPG
DSC07342.JPG (36.64 KiB) Viewed 2227 times
The accompanying information board did say that the cans would be removed before the tank went into combat.

So far as the Russians are concerned, back in the 1980s, I visited the Soviet Union over New Year, when the temperature was around -40. Road vehicles were functioning quite happily though. I remember passing a lorry park, where one or two trucks had fires lit under their fuel tanks. It was a trifle un-nerving to see.

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:00 am
by Estnische
Excellent and logical explanation HB!

And you're welcome. Although I was born here, my father's family is extremely grateful that first Germans and then Aussies shared their countries, when staying in Estonia was likely to result in a one-way trip to the Gulags.

So I'm only one step ahead of you.

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 12:04 pm
by Dusty Steppes
In regards to diesel engines, my truck has glow plugs. You turn the ignition on and wait for the indicator on the dash to turn off and then start it up. And for those really cool winter nights in Wisconsin when the temperature drops to -30 it has a block heater that I can plug in to keep the engine warm.

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:09 pm
by Tiggr
Interesting thread this, thanks Guys. :thumbup:

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:58 pm
by dgsselkirk
The Russians had a release mechanism inside the tank to drop their fuel tanks before battle. If you look at pictures of destroyed T34's you don't see the fuel canisters on them on very many. The reason you see fuel cans on tanks in pictures is the pictures were generally not taken in the heat of battle. Pictures are normally taken behind the lines by crew or propaganda photographers. They might be on their way to the front about to go into battle and therefore carry as much fuel as possible so they can top up before they actually enter the front lines. Just before moving in for attack you generally would lager and drop drop off canisters, truck fuel tankers etc. to create a refueling point.

Having shot 50cal tracer at 45 gallon drums I can tell you it may not be an explosion but it is one hell of a fireball! There is always some air inside a fuel tank or Jerry Can generally...

A lot of jerry cans you see on German tanks are actually for water. Look for the white stripes...

Re: Jerry Cans On Tanks

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:23 pm
by RobW
A lot of the T34/76's didn't carry the extra fuel drums. It seems to become common practice with the T34/85's later on. Maybe the earlier tanks didn't need to be driven very far before combat given the defensive battles earlier on? You rarely see an image of the KV-1 with extra fuel tanks, but they're common on JS series.