Installation of a Self-Sealing Materials System in a C-130 Integral Fuel Tank Wing

摘要

The objective of this program was to adapt a newly developed self-sealing integral fuel tank materials system to a C-130 integral wing tank and evaluate its resistance to slosh and vibration damage as well as its protective capabilities against small arms ground gunfire. The selected system consists of a combination of flexible ballistic nylon laminates (corrugated and flat) and precompressed Buna-N closed-cell foam. This system, when installed in a C-130 wing integral fuel tank section, was found to withstand slosh and vibration tests. In firing tests of this system installed in a C-130 wing integral fuel tank section, promising results were obtained. The damage control system proved successful in limiting the damage to the C-230 skin structure. The self-sealing system was successful for many .50 caliber AP and API impacts. When the projectiles hit a rib longitudinally and tumbled immediately behind the tank entry skin structure, large areas of the tank were damaged an sealing was only partially effective. (Author, modified-PL)