Aircraft with jettisonable fuel tank means

In a powered aircraft having an engine and a jettisonable first fuel tank means suspended from a portion of the aircraft;

• the combination therewith of
• a reserve fuel tank means carried by the aircraft,
• communicative means normally interconnecting said first and reserve fuel tank means,
• valve means operatively associated with said communicative means and adapted to normally maintain open fuel flow communication between said first tank means and said engine via said communicative means during normal operation of the aircraft,
• and said valve means including
• means responsive to the jettisoning of said first fuel tank means, and the consequent separation of the same from the aircraft, for interrupting fuel flow communication between said first fuel tank means and said engine and for establishing fuel flow communication between said reserve fuel tank means and said engine.

In a powered aircraft having an engine and a jettisonable first fuel tank suspended from a portion of the aircraft;

• the combination therewith of a reserve fuel tank carried by the aircraft,
• communicative means for connecting said fuel tanks to the engine,
• valve means operatively associated with said communicative means and being adapted to normally maintain open fuel flow communication between said jettisonable first fuel tank and the engine while preventing fuel flow communication between said reserve fuel tank and the engine during normal operation of the aircraft, and said valve means including
• means responsive to the jettisoning of said first fuel tank from the aircraft for establishing communication between said reserve fuel tank and the engine to permit continued operation of the aircraft under power of the engine after the first fuel tank has been jettisoned.

In a powered aircraft having an engine and a jettisonable first fuel tank means suspended from a portion of the aircraft;

• the combination therewith of
• a reserve fuel tank means carried by the aircraft,
• communicative means normally interconnecting both of said fuel tank means and including first and second normally intercommunicating separable fuel flow components attached to said first fuel tank means and said reserve fuel tank means, respectively,
• valve means operatively associated with said communicative means and adapted to normally maintain open fuel flow communication between said first fuel tank means and said engine via said first and second fuel flow components during normal operation of said aircraft, and said valve means including
• means responsive to the jettisoning of said first fuel tank means, and the consequent separation of said first and second components of said communicative means, for establishing open fuel communication between said reserve fuel tank means and the engine and for sealing each fuel tank means against the outward flow of fuel therefrom through the respective first and second fuel flow components thereof to prevent unintentional escaping of fuel from the fuel tank means through the respective fuel flow components thereof.