Exploding Fuel Tanks
Exploding Fuel Tanks tells the story of air war over the Pacific in World War Two from the perspective of aircraft vulnerability. The result is surprising history with many oft repeated but inaccurate characterizations of the combatants debunked. In addition to a story about technology this book sheds new light on combat operations and the actual losses (not just claims) each side suffered.
“Great air-warfare history. Well-written; extremely well researched (many excellent photographs); exciting reading; and important lessons learned. Highly recommended (Hon. Jacques S. Gansler, Ph.D., Professor, University of Maryland, former Under Secretary of Defense).
“Rick Dunn is to be commended for having written the first comprehensive study of a vital subject in aviation history which, all too often, has received only superficial and subjective treatment. His probing analysis strips away widely-held misconceptions and much myth surrounding the issues to reveal a complex multi-layered reality. Every serious student of military aviation history should read this book (Osamu Tagaya, Aviation historian and author).
“Rick Dunn tells the fascinating story of how Britain and Germany developed the first ‘crash proof fuel tanks,’ and how other countries including the United States and Japan scrambled to catch up, to save their pilots from death or disfiguring burns. With many splendid photos and drawings, this is a must for every military aviation library” (Daniel Ford, author of Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers).
EXPLODING FUEL TANKS CHANGES: First Edition to Second Edition
There are relatively few changes between the first and second edition of Exploding Fuel Tanks. The big change is in the printing methodology. The first edition was a conventional print run. The second edition is produced via Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) using the technique colloquially known as print on demand. For those wishing a signed/dedicated copy of the second edition a few copies are available which can be requested directly from the author through the RLDunn.com website.
Substantive changes:
In color profile No. 10 change 1942 to 1941.
At page 100 insert a new second paragraph:
“The effect of improvements in Japanese army fighters was memorialized in a January 1944 report of the 3rd Air Army, “Lessons and Battle Tactics of Enemy Aircraft in the Indo-Burma border area.” The report addressed combat with Allied fighters including Spitfires (Mark V and VIII) that were said to have armor and anti-fire devices that were “extremely superior.” The advances made in their own fighters were also recognized, “The fireproof installations of the Type 1 Fighter are very effective. A certain Type 1 Fighter came back to base safely after having been hit 39 times.”
Additional changes:
At Acknowledgements change Justin Taylen to Justin Taylan; residence Florida.
In the authors interior biography change the last sentence of next to last paragraph to read:
“Many of his military history articles are available on RLDunn.com and other websites.”
Change last paragraph of interior biography to read:
“Mr. Dunn has been an invited speaker at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Acquisition Research Symposiums and has been appointed to Defense Science Board and National Academy of Science studies. He was an invited speaker at the MacArthur’s Airmen symposium Norfolk, Virginia and keynote speaker at General Walker Day at Roswell, New Mexico.”
In the author’s back cover biography change the next to last sentence to read:
“Many of his military history articles are available online (J-aircraft.com, warbirdforum.com and RLDunn,com).
book reviews
The new edition is faithful to first edition and adds some new material.
While the Pacific War has always been an interest of mine, I was quite intrigued with the information on the European aircraft and how pilot armor and fuel tank safety evolved. Many have already said so much already, but if the technical aspects of WW2 aircraft interest you, BUY THIS BOOK and read it!!
This fine book has a wealth of information on WW2 aircraft protection systems.
Excellent service
Takes on an important but neglected topic. Protection of aircraft of WWII. It’s the only book I know of that does this! Therefore it’s must have! It uses lots of official documents etc. Frankly this is an important area of history which needs years of research! But usually gets relegated to footnotes after most histories tell the tales of the Thatch Weave, Butch O’Hare etc. worst of all statistical analysis is needed. I give it 5 stars compared to anything else on the subject which is nearly nothing, but it’s more like finding King Tut’s tomb taking a look thru the door and never going in.
Somehow I managed to miss "Exploding Fuel Tanks" for nine years. I'd seen the title mentioned and certainly knew of Rick Dunn's reputation, but what a revelation to see the book up close. Dunn takes an "everybody knows" type of subject (Our Airplanes were better protected than Their Airplanes), dips it in high-octane fuel, wrings it out, and sets it on the historical clothes line for examination while drying.Dunn's mix of a "rivet counter" tekkie subject combines with rare information and professional-quality insight that yields illuminating analysis. And along the way, he teaches aviation students more than a few things--but mainly he demonstrates that history is both a process and a journey, sometimes best experienced on what seems a well traveled road.
For those who have a great interest in the Pacific air war in World War II, this book provides an extrermely well-written and detailed history of the conflict and the planes used by the U.S. and Japanese. I found it to be a fascinating read.
Easily the most in depth research I have ever had the pleasure of reading on aircraft development. Incredible detail is put into a detailed historical context to paint the full and complete picture.
Amazon tells us to compare the product with others in the same category. I'd say that is nigh impossible with this work, as I'm not aware of a current published work that has dealt with this subject. I've not finished it yet, but I have enjoyed it hugely and I've learned a great deal so far. Good money spent for your aviation research shelf!
I'll save your reading chops by adding only this to the above reviews, (all of which are spot on target):The author has made something clear here that most other aircraft books either ignore or gloss over with very ambiguous documentation. Until I read Mr. Dunn's work, I had not realized that the ".50 caliber" weapons fielded by the Imperial Japanese Army were machine cannon, not machine guns. Once alerted by Mr.Dunn's writings, I reexamined other source materials and found that they either called them machine guns (which are much less potent unless employed en masse, as with US fighter wing guns), or buried any reference in obscure tables.Also, this author addresses a topic not normally explored in depth by aircraft authors, that of armor plating. While mostly about the Japanese side of things, Mr. Dunn spends quite a bit of time looking at shot angles, plate fitting, and the differences between the rifle caliber weapons used by the Japanese and British early on, and the late war heavy caliber machine guns and aircraft machine cannon.All in all, an excellent overview of a very obscure topic.