I was going thru some pictures today that my Dad had sent home to either my Granddad or my aunt from Europe during the war. This one was amongst them, and it was the first time I'd ever seen it. My aunt had it and it ended up with my Mom when she died. I've seen this before, he has another picture of it without his buddies in it and from a different angle. I'm still looking for that one. I've thought about this thing my whole life, it really made an impression on me but I always treated his pictures with some kind of weird reverence and have looked at them only twice in my life. They were never locked up but I must have known, even as a little kid, they were going to be special to me later on. Anyway, my Dad was a wheeled vehicle mechanic, T-4, and his outfit's (and a whole bunch of other outfits) primary job was to keep the vehicles running in the Red Ball Express. The Red Ball Express was Patton's 3rd Army's supply line during their run across Europe. He drove a tow truck and would fix the break downs on the road or haul them in if they couldn't fix it. No combat but saw lots of aftermath. He has quite a few pics of fields in France were they drug the shot up vehicles to get them out of the roads. This pic was taken in England, before D-Day. I don't know what it's powered by but judging from the gas tank on top I'd bet it's Indian Chief or Scout powered. It probably steered with the rear wheel. I can't ask because Dad's gone. I did ask him if he ever got to drive it and he said he didn't because they shipped out shortly after they finished it. I actually have no idea if it's the first belly tank but I've always wondered about the two guys that dreamed it up and built it, did one or both go on to the lakes and the salt? Anyway, I think this belongs here and it's for sure just cool as hell.
He didn't build it, his buddies that are sitting in it did. I think the rear wheel is a tail wheel off a fighter plane. Kevin
The fellow in the back kind of looks like Jimmy Stewart. Someone should be able to identify that gas tank as Indian or not, and the airplane tank. I'd say it looks like it's front wheel drive and steered by the tailwheel. If you wanted to, you might be able to identify the guys, too. Thanks for sharing this. Kurt
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) "Sport Aviation" and Smithsonian's "Air & Space" magazines would undoubtedly be interested in the picture and would be a good start to finding more information.
Thanks, guys. I know another picture exists from a different angle but I haven't found it yet. When I do I'll post it. It would be great if it was still around, maybe a barn find for you, Mindover. I don't know where they were stationed in England. I'm kind of hoping there's Hambr's that have seen pictures taken by other GI's. I just don't have the kind of time it's going to take research it.
All the guys who said "Belly Tanker" was lame were just trying to do you a favor. Try using that to someone running a belly tank on the salt. A KC135 is a Tanker. A lakester is a Tank.
Ok, fair enough, tank it is. I wasn't trying to be cocky, more like funny. Obviously, I don't know much about it. Not too many events out this way. Thanks, Kevin.
He shares a very cool old picture, it gets few comments, and a couple of corrections-- that's what's lame.
The two inline caps on the gas tank sure makes it look like an Indian. The tailwheel looks like a Harley springer that's been shortened and turned around backwards. I hope it wasn't an XA, but they were probably as easy to "aquire" as any other front end considering the time and place. Motorcycle windshield too. Cool deal. Larry T
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Watch this one at about 3:13 and see another use for "belly tanks" <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pqgP26cyorQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pqgP26cyorQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>