Stuart tank fuel tank
 

Has anyone got or can post a link to any good photos of the external fuel tank used on Australian stuart tanks.

Cheers Luke

did you ever get a reply to this.

I can photograph mine if you want. Mine are rubber coated save for the rear drop tank which was very much the same as the stag hound rear drop tank.

Hi Gina.
No, I didn't get a reply.
It would be good if you could please post a picture when you have time.

Thanks
Luke

will take some pictures during the week.

Hi Luke.

I have both the plain metal tanks and the rubberised tanks.

I popped the plain metal tanks on the Stuart to have a look today.

What I know and what I dont know.

I know they are Stuart tanks and I know the Straps are right because all the metal bits are original and the webbing copied from a much rotted but complete original.

The Straps are far to short to make it to the quick release clips there is clearly a tensioning gadget between the strap and the quick release I don't have.

I can take some stand alone shots of the tanks if you need them and also give you dimensions.

My stuart still has all of the bowden cables for the quick release in it but nothing in the fighting compartment so I don't know what that end of it looks like.

Lets know what pictures you want.

I also read another thread on MLU about the brackets that hold on the rear drop tank.

The thread indicated the shovel was removed to make it fit.

On My Stuart the main Bracket is above the shovel position and the two ancillary struts below so the pioneer tools could still remain in place as originally fitted.

My Rear Drop Tank appears to have been a factory fit. There is no position below the engine door for a shovel there are however two footman loops for something I am not sure what but no9 sign of anything else that would accommodate a shovel having been removed.

These of the side tanks

Gina,

You probably have the straps for the Staghound armored car.
They are much shorter covering only 1/4th of the tank's circumference.
They also have an extra ring on one end so the straps fit the rubberized tank as well as the steel tank.
You can compare the dimensions with the drawing showing the Staghound strap.

Marco

Luke,

Some photo's and dimensions from the steel tank.

Marco

Hi Marco...nup they are Stuart. What I don't have are the turn buckles.

Which I will resolve today.

The plain steel tanks are much less in diameter than the rubberised ones so I need short turnbuckles for the steel tanks and long ones for the rubber tanks.

I was told the rear tank was steel on Australian Stuarts ...I am not sure of the veracity of that claim. I am also looking for information on the Rear M3A1 bracket which is different to the earlier M3 Brackets. ( photo Below of M3 )

I also had the turnbuckle end on the wrong end of the mechanism . I put the chain link over the hook thinking the adjustable end went into the latch....ah well it was a 50/50 guess :) .

The Staghound set up was quite different It does not appear to have been connected to the main fuel system while the vehicle was on the move.

The Stuart tanks have the feed pipe coming out the middle lower tank directly below the filler hole. They also did not have those steel fittings on the end. The Stuart had a rubber hose with a special fitting that went into the top of the filler cap on the main tanks. They were connected to the main tanks port and starboard until jettison. The photo of the rear armour of my Stuart above shows the Spigot in the centre of the armour where the fuel was connected to the Stbd fuel tank feed. You can just make it out on the Buna M3 photograph Below. That tank does not appear to be set up for quick release., It looks like the Aux Tank was bolted on and removed before combat.

Also the straps are made of webbing not steel... I have originals to guide me on that.

I still have a couple of sets of original straps in as found rotted condition.

Gina

and these from the archive .

fuel tank
 

Thanks for your reply's fellas.
Marco that fuel tank is a Staghound drop tank.