Fuel Tanks

Many aeroplanes, especially older ones, build their fuel tanks using a straightforward material. Diverse materials are used to construct a robust tank, which is fastened to the aircraft. The tanks can include baffles in addition to the other fuel tank characteristics, and they are frequently riveted or welded together. They are commonly constructed of stainless steel, aluminium alloy 5052, or 3003 and are riveted and seam welded to stop leaks. Many early tanks were constructed from thin sheets of steel covered with terneplate, a lead/tin alloy. The seams on the terneplate tanks are folded and soldered. The components of a conventional rigid detachable fuel tank are seen in Figure 1.