Just curious about the P-51 FM

[JtD]

Originally Posted by Mustang

No!

You have the main fuel tanks inside the wings.

If you start with two 110 gallon drop tanks you have a fuel total of 489 gallons. Lets say you use 225 gallons each way, and keep 39 reserve. If you use up the 85 gallon fuselage tank first, you'll still have 80 gallons at the far end of your trip in the drop tanks. If you happen to be engaged there, you can't drop them if you want to return to your base, as you'll need 225 gallons, but only have 184 internal.

Practice was to use half the rear tank first, then the drop tanks. In this case, you'd have OK control characteristics and could always drop the drop tanks and make it home.