I’m looking into drop tank designations for my lang mod, but I don’t know where to start looking. All I’ve found is that the F-18 carries the FPU-6/A, FPU-8/A, and FPU-12/A drop tanks. I’ve also heard of a line of American 300 gallon drop tanks called the Aero-1, but to my understanding, anything labeled Aero-[number] is a pylon, not the tank itself (I of course could be wrong about this). Do any of y’all know of any drop tank designations for any nation or where I can find them?
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So I figured out the 820 L one on the Su-17 and Su-25, it’s the PTB-800, and the Soviet 490 L one is the PTB-490. The 820 L one on the MiG-23 is still a mystery to me, as is every other drop tank).
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A few more…
https://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-f.html#_FPU
Plus FA-18E/F uses the FPU-11 480 gallon external tank
And another Super Hornet tank… https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2023/navy/2023fa18irst.pdf?ver=NPX6D-Ra09NMtw4ONOSBkg%3D%3D
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The Aero designationsl was pre-1970 when everything changed to the 3 letter scheme.
FPU-3/A USN = AERO 1C 150-gal Tank
Its not a well covered field so it could take some time to get a full list.
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So is the AERO-1D the FPU-3/B or… idk. Is there a comprehensive list of what used the AERO-1C and AERO-1D? Also, the 1D is 300 gallons, right?
Also, does this mean that the F-14’s fuel tank ingame is the FPU-1/A? The list lists the FPU-1/A as a 267 gallon tank, but the F-14 ingane has a 280 gallon tank.
The 150-gal 1C and 300-gal 1D are different designs and will have been redesignateed with different PFU’s.There is also a 400 gal 1E which appears limited to A-4 and A-5 use (and I presumes there was also an A and B somewhere).
Some tanks came in slightly different variations due to manufacturing allowances and to suit airframe specifics, but are made around a common core so retain the same number. Changes incorporated later may have also resulted in /A /B etc but as most references simply refer to x-gallon drop tanks as opposed to using the official PFU-x/C External tank finding exact details is slow going.
The mismatch between the F-14 tank capacity could be production variation, a typo, or reliance on outdated information. If in doubt seek out proper manuals and reliable sites as simplified lists and WT details aren’t alway 100% correct (understatement!)
Information is spread thin and wide, maybe the best way to research is to do a cross-reference listing of both designations and Google Grind your way through them methodically.
Edit ’ note the “Aero” number is somewhat confusing if searching as there was also Aero 1A pylon store adaptors, Aero 1A Sidewinder rail adaptor.
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Thank you very much. This was hugely helpful.