This site says Hap Arnold was so convinced bombers could outrun fighters, & didn't need escorts, he actually banned development of a 52USgal tank in Feb '39, suitable for the P-36, claiming it was unsafe. (It seems Arnold wanted a 250pd bomb, instead...)
It goes on to say field improvisations, including one by Kenney's Fifth using Spam cans,
showed what could be done--but AAF Materiel Command was too busy buggering around, & Arnold too obsessed with bombers, for drop tanks to see production for more than 20mo.

(In the event, Kenney's Spamtanks were better.
)
That all being true, what would have been the effect had P-38s, P-40s, & (later) P-47s started the war with drop tanks? It appears it would have enabled P-38s to reach well into Germany, possibly all the way to Berlin:
This would appear to butterfly away the P-51...

What other influences might it have had?
It goes on to say field improvisations, including one by Kenney's Fifth using Spam cans,
That all being true, what would have been the effect had P-38s, P-40s, & (later) P-47s started the war with drop tanks? It appears it would have enabled P-38s to reach well into Germany, possibly all the way to Berlin:
This would appear to butterfly away the P-51...
What other influences might it have had?
Last edited: