Exterior Fuel Tank

[Webb]

I know this comes up from time to time but here's another angle.

If you look at the Van's performance differences between a 7 and 7A for a 180hp engine, it is 2 mph.

Using the same logic, if you built a belly pod tank, shaped like a wheel fairing, would you only lose 2 mph? Put 2 on, you lose 4mph.

Is this crazy ideal even doable? (What about it Frank?)

Buy 2 main wheel fairings (maybe 1 depending on what the volume is). Do the additional glass work to baffle and reinforce. Mount them upside down under the belly (or the wing). Make removable. Cost is $270 for 1

Or is this just another crazy experimenter's idealistic wish for longer range?

[sjhurlbut]

A wheel pant size tank will give you less than 2 Gal extra.

I have ability to carry a baggage compartment tank (16.8 Gal) and a passenger seat tank (60 Gal).

Steve
7A Flying

[Ron Lee]

Doesn't someone sell a tank for the wing or wingtip?

[RV8RIVETER]

Mike Arnold sell a video that shows how he made a cargo pod that bolts to the wing tie down. Looks really cool. I bought the video and am thinking about building one, but shape it like a bomb, to go with the WW2 fighter scheme.


He has the plug so I guess you could contact him and see if he sells them. Or get the video and build it yourself.
http://www.ar-5.com/vidkit96.html Tape 4.

[Webb]

Originally Posted by sjhurlbut

A wheel pant size tank will give you less than 2 Gal extra.

I have ability to carry a baggage compartment tank (16.8 Gal) and a passenger seat tank (60 Gal).

Steve
7A Flying

Only 2 gallons? I filled up the leaf blower today and the 1 gallon jug is TINY. 1 cubic foot is about 7.5 gallons so I was guessing the quantity would be a bit higher than 2 gallons.

Go with same premise. Use the pressure recovery design for the fuel tank, just a bigger.

[dpansier]

I haven?t drilled or cut the wheel opening in my Sam James pants yet so I measured the capacity by filling with water.
Surprisingly one wheel pant will hold 7.61 gallons.
I weighted the water on a postal scale, came in at 63.4 lbs.

[SportAvServ]

Does anyone have RV-10 pants they could fill and check what they hold?, I would bet over 10gal.

RT

[Webb]

A cubic foot is about 7.5 gallons. A gallon of water weighs about 8.3 pounds.

Calculate on!!

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Webb

A cubic foot is about 7.5 gallons. A gallon of water weighs about 8.3 pounds.

Calculate on!!

A gallon of gas weighs 6 pounds........... so why would you carry water?...

[gasman]

Originally Posted by sjhurlbut

A wheel pant size tank will give you less than 2 Gal extra.

I have ability to carry a baggage compartment tank (16.8 Gal) and a passenger seat tank (60 Gal).

Steve
7A Flying

THAT'S OVER 1800 POUNDS WITHOUT YOU!!