Where's Farn Reed & Bladder Buster Tanks?

[Bob Axsom]

I read about Farn Reed and his Bladder Buster Tanks in an RVator before I started building my RV-6A. I corresponded with Mr. Reed and ordered a pair of the 8.5 gallon (each) tanks. When I went to North Plains to pick up my kit, I rented a big 24' Budget Rental truck in Portland for transport. As I drove back to southern California I stopped at the Grant's Pass, OR airport and picked up my tanks. He had an RV-6 at that time that was painted blue and white but his Bladder Buster Tanks were polished aluminum. I have had several people ask how to get them but I don't know the status of Farn Reed or his tank company. I have given the phone number and address that I have in my RV-6A documentation but the people tell me they have not been successful in reaching him. I have used the tanks for 2.5 years and they are aluminum and they are great. Can anyone give a status update?

Bob Axsom

[Captain Avgas]

Originally Posted by Bob Axsom

I read about Farn Reed and his Bladder Buster Tanks in an RVator before I started building my RV-6A. I corresponded with Mr. Reed and ordered a pair of the 8.5 gallon (each) tanks. I have used the tanks for 2.5 years and they are aluminum and they are great.
Bob Axsom

Bob, tell us something about these tanks. Where do they get fitted. Do they feed into the main tanks....and how do they feed. What did they cost.

[Bob Axsom]

They are 9" wide airfoil conforming tanks that extend the wings between the end of the existing metal and the fiberglass. They are just tanks and the plumbing and instrumentation are left for the builder to decide. Some people drain the tips into the mains thereby technically just making the existing tanks larger. I chose to route each of mine to the valves in the cockpit individually. I suspect from what others have told me, that they are no longer available but I told another interested builder that I would start this thread and try to determine the status for sure. Here is a photo of mine while I was building the plane.

Bob Axsom

[airguy]

But the idea remains, and is sound for a builder with some excess material and time.

[Bob Axsom]

I exchanged letters with Mr. Reed and I met he and his wife when we picked up the tanks. He told me he was a retired firemen. He was very pleasant and open to me. I wish I could have built my plane a little faster and perhaps I could have given him some material to have helped him sell his good product. I have attached photos I took of Farn Reed, his wife and my wife and his RV-6 during our stop at Grant's Pass in November of 1996.

Thank you very much for providing the information.

Bob Axsom

[BillyBob]

Thank you Bob, for taking the lead in tracking this down.

bc

[Captain Avgas]

Originally Posted by Bob Axsom

They are 9" wide airfoil conforming tanks that extend the wings between the end of the existing metal and the fiberglass. They are just tanks and the plumbing and instrumentation are left for the builder to decide. Some people drain the tips into the mains thereby technically just making the existing tanks larger. I chose to route each of mine to the valves in the cockpit individually. I suspect from what others have told me, that they are no longer available but I told another interested builder that I would start this thread and try to determine the status for sure. Here is a photo of mine while I was building the plane.

Bob Axsom

Bob, there must of course be engineering ramifications to extending the wing without extending the wing spar. Performance must also change. Do you still do aerobatics in this plane when the auxiliary tanks are empty.

[Bob Axsom]

No aerobatics are allowed. There are three large diameter steel threaded rods that extend through the tank to provide support in addition to all of the #8 screws at the edge of the interface. It does what I want it to do go fast, high and far.

Bob Axsom