USAF fighter escort distances

USAF fighter escort distances

Extra fuel tanks and a map of the various distances that WWII escort fighters could fly from their bases. https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/5edsx7/a_map_of_the_various_distances_that_wwii_escort/

165-gallon tank manufactured by Lockheed
http://imgur.com/a/hxqiY

200-gallon laminated paper ferry tank, or “baby”, used on the P-47 from the end of June to the end of July 1943
http://imgur.com/a/1syvF

The 75-gallon metal drop tank was introduced in late August 1943
http://imgur.com/a/DbgAN

P-47C-1-RE and C-5-RE that were already in service to retrofit them with a belly shackle and allow them to carry the extra tank
http://imgur.com/a/HfwU7

A larger version of the 75-gallon tank that held 110 gallons was also developed; it was commonly used as a napalm container.
http://imgur.com/a/enRPJ

A 108-gallon laminated paper tank, of British design, began to be distributed in fall 1943, coming to various fighter groups from September to November.
http://imgur.com/a/leitk

A 150-gallon wide, flat steel tank was developed as a belly tank for the P-47 in February 1944.
http://imgur.com/a/KQJ9J

P-38:
This chart leaves out the 165-gallon tank manufactured by Lockheed. These were relatively uncommon in the ETO, seeing much more use in the Pacific due to the need for even more range. Like the 110-gallon drop tank below, they could also be used as a napalm container, with distinguishing marks in red or yellow.

P-47:
The chart leaves out any mention of the 200-gallon laminated paper ferry tank, or “baby”, used on the P-47 from the end of June to the end of July 1943, after which it was withdrawn. The “baby” was unpressurized, suffered from technical issues, and could not draw fuel above about 8,000 feet. This accounts for the initial increase in range of the P-47; P-47s surprised German fighters inside their own borders on July 30, 1943;

107 P-47’s with auxiliary tanks escort these raids and they surprise the attacking Luftwaffe fighters over Bocholt, Germany as the enemy is not yet accustomed to fighter escort penetration beyond the coastal fringe. They claim 25-4-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 P-47’s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair; casualties are 6 MIA
The 75-gallon metal drop tank was introduced in late August 1943. Work was completed on P-47C-1-RE and C-5-RE that were already in service to retrofit them with a belly shackle and allow them to carry the extra tank; the C-2-RE already had this ability. In late 1943, the P-47D-15-RE became available; with wing pylons it could hypothetically carry up to three tanks. A larger version of the 75-gallon tank that held 110 gallons was also developed; it was commonly used as a napalm container.

A 108-gallon laminated paper tank, of British design, began to be distributed in fall 1943, coming to various fighter groups from September to November. It only was able to hold fuel for the duration of a mission, and yielded no usable material to the enemy if recovered. The original paper tanks were doped silver; a later steel variation made in the United States that looked exactly the same was painted gray.
A 150-gallon wide, flat steel tank was developed as a belly tank for the P-47 in February 1944. It could also be carried on the wing pylons like the 75, 108, and 110-gallon tanks. At the end of 1944, a 215-gallon variant of this tank was used by the 56th Fighter Group to allow the wing pylons to be removed from their P-47Ms, increasing speed.
P-51:

The P-51 flew its first escort mission in December 1943, not January 1944;
SUNDAY, 5 DECEMBER 1943
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 149. Airfields in France are targetted; 8 B-17’s and 1 B-24 are lost.
216 B-17’s are dispatched to La Rochelle/Laleu, St Jean D'Angely, Paris/Ivry, Paris/Bois and D'Colombes airfields; none hit the target due to weather; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged.
96 B-24’s are dispatched to Cognac/Chateaubernard Airfield; 2 hit St Nazaire; 1 B-24 is lost and 7 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 10 MIA. 3. 236 B-17’s are dispatched to the Bordeaux/Merignac air depot; 1 hits the target; they claim 12-5-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17’s are lost and 19 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 4 WIA and 50 MIA. These missions are escorted by 34 P-38’s and 266 P-47’s plus 36 Ninth Air Force P-51’s; 1 P-47 is lost; the pilot is MIA.
At first (after the arrival of the P-51 in December of 1943) the 108-gallon drop tanks were reserved solely for P-47s due to their inherent lack of range when compared to the P-51, leaving an excess of 75-gallon drop tanks. This excess ran out by May 1944 (conveniently around the time that the P-47D-25-RE, with 370 gallons of internal fuel instead of 305, arrived) and the P-51 was then cleared to use the 108-gallon tanks.

A map of the various distances that WWII escort... - Maps on the Web