L3B aux. tanks

[Aerco]

I am contemplating installing one or perhaps even two auxiliary tanks in my L3B when I get to the stage of rebuilding the wings.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has done this and the paperwork involved. Pictures would be great too. I tried a search on this forum, but without much luck.

[Paul Agaliotis]

Peter,
Buzz Wagner had a STC for their installation, for the wood wings. I would put in the tanks. My TAC has the 10 gal fuselage tank and the 2 gal header. Coming back from Casa Grande the longest leg was Buckeye AZ to Blythe CA. I landed at Blythe and put in 10.8 gal, just a little closer than I like to run. I thought about landing at the truck stop in Quartzite and putting in some car gas.
I would add the fuel tanks so you wont worry about your range. Plus, if you add a higher HP engine you're tanked for it.
Paul

[jc pacquin]

I had a very nice 7BCM, 85 HP, starter, transceiver, transponder. NICE! .....BUT it only had the original 12gallon tank! It was a real pain in the a..! Always low on fuel. No wing tanks is why I sold it. The rebuilder did a great job, quality job but really screwed up on the gas tanks! As usual, Paul is right. JIM P.

[Aerco]

I am seriously wondering just how difficult it would be to obtain an STC for an installation such as this. Or if an installation very similar, and approved in other aircraft, could be done with field approval. There is nothing in the Wag Aero kits, for example, that I could not produce in my shop for about 1/10- the cost. Owner-made parts are after, all acceptable to the FAA if done properly.

I know, I know - it's probably opening a can of worms that most people don't want to deal with, but having designed an airplane and gotten it past the UK authorities, stress analysis and all, I feel something as simple as a wing tank cannot possibly be that difficult to design and analyze and test.

I much prefer the Taylorcraft wing tank to the triangular Aeronca tanks: