Hellcat fuel tanks????

[CrankyCrafstman]

Hey all 

  Anyone know why there are two different center line fuel tanks in the new 1/24 Airfix F6F-5 Hellcat kit? I've searched on the Net but haven't been able to find any information. The kit instructions don't even mention the other tank. Was wondering if there were differences between the F6F-3 and the F6F-5 tanks.

Thanks Ron G 

[1to1scale]

I believe there were possibly 3 different fuel tanks used over the years of production. I know that one tank had the seam running vertical along the tank, the other had the seam horizontal. The bracing for the tank was also different between the two. And lastly, I heard that FAA used a different tank, but I have never seen a picture of one. 

I also have seen a picture of a hellcat with a couple very small wing tanks, but this was probably a field mod using some other planes tanks. (Possibly Wildcat?)

[1to1scale]

[CrankyCrafstman]

Hey 1to1 

 All those pictures are of the vertical flange tank. So maybe the other tank that comes in the kit, the horizontal flange one without the pylon is for the FAA Hellcat.

Ron G 

[1to1scale]

Sorry, posted the wrong fuel tank picture. Here is the right one. The horizontal tank seems to appear more on -3 Hellcats, but not sure. 

[1to1scale]

Here is a period photo of a tank that appears to be different from the other two, no seam visible.