1:72 480 gallon FPU-11 fuel tank

FPU-11 auxiliary fuel tank of 480 gallons, 1:72

This accessory from Reskit represents a large capacity drop tank in the designation FPU-11 for models of carrier combat aircraft in 1:72 scale. Tanks of this type are part of the equipment of the Super Hornet family, where they are carried on the underwing and the fuselage stations. The package does not hold an aircraft model.

What the tank does for a model

Carrier fighters and attack aircraft rarely appear without auxiliary tanks in everyday service. A model built with empty pylons therefore reads more as a factory machine than as an aircraft in operational service. Fitting tanks is one of the simplest ways to give a model credibility, and it fills the silhouette under the wing well at the same time.

Context of the real subject

Large capacity tanks are used on carrier machines mainly because distances over the sea are great and refueling in flight is limited by the capacity of the tanker aircraft. A configuration with several tanks also makes it possible to pass some of the fuel to another machine if the aircraft is fitted with a refueling pod. In photographs from a deck you will therefore see all sorts of combinations of external stores.

Building advice

• Check that the stub of the tank seats against the pylon over its whole area.
• Fill the seams left after fitting, as they are conspicuous on a smooth tank.
• Paint the tank separately and fit it only once the wing is finished.
• Consider light soiling of the lower part, which tends to be marked on the real thing.

Suitable for modelers who want to build a model in an operational configuration.