I've got a bunch of OIF pics (mostly found on www.smugmug.com - great photo albums site BTW) showing Marines AAVs with 55 gal. fuel drums strapped onto the rear of their hull tops. They're "civilian" green "BP" fuel drums. Most of the time they are covered with a tarp or a day-glo air recognition panel. On one picture at least, the drum is empty (the cap is missing).
I was just wondering about their use

TIA
Frenchy

Here's an example :


Post scriptum for Sabot : I don't believe they use these drums to carry CA super glue

Frenchy

looks more like a standard 44 gallon drum to me. I would tend to say they were for extra fuel.

Sorry Mr Roo, I'm not used to British units of measure as I'm French (I didn't know that there were 44 AND 55 gallon drums). I've had thought about extra fuel too, but I think it would be somehow risky to carry such an attractive and unprotected target ...
What puzzling me is that all the pictured drums are identical. Maybe there had been a local bargain offer on BP fuel

Frenchy

standard Drum size in use is the old 44 gallon drum which now equates to 200litres.

Don't forget the American gallon is smaller then the imperial gallon so maybe (can someone comfirm?) the US size for a 44 gallon (200 litre)(imperial) drum is 55 gallons in US measure

PS> sorry to confuse you.

I should have refered to my trusty Anglo-French dictionnary before :
1 Imperial gallon = 4.545 liters
1 US gallon = 3.785 liters
1 US army "55 gallon" drum = 208, 175 liters
1 British (or Australian ) "44 gallon" drum = 199,98 liters
But this does not answer my question

Frenchy

Howdy fellas,

I think you guys have got it all wrong. These are MARINES!! Young Marine warrior's to be exact. They have no need to carry extra fuel (there are support outfit's designated for this), nor are they interested in the artificially inflated price of British Petroleum products.............
These young, fired-up, Iraqi-munching warriors are just simply bringing along something to celebrate with.....

It's BEER!.

In a country where all forms of alchohol are banned with the threat of beheading, these fine lads have just simply 'adjusted and adapted' as all good Marines are taught and disguised their 'kegger' as a BP fuel drum.
Apparently they fooled everybody.

Tread.

Your proposal is very interesting, Tread , but I for sure would be more than reluctant to drink something from a sun-heated drum, to say nothing of the STRONG aftertaste...But I'm not a Marine ! :-)

Any other idea ?

Frenchy

I think it's just that old American custom "Never pass up a steel drum, you never know, and they have so many uses" :-)

yep i'll agree.. some things you just can't pass by... Steel Drums.. plastic gallon jugs, peices of rope, bungie cords, burlap bags, twine, the odd hub cap or two, glass jars full of misc bolts and screws, and the allways neferious peices of string.. just some things are too usefull to pass up.

Standard US drums are 55 US Gal. or 30. If the drums were new as they look it could simply be a way of hauling water more important in the desert than fuel. Although the Marine thing about the beer makes sense also. US Marines are know for two things one is partying the other is doing their job extremely well. I'll let some of the Marines in the group expound on this more then me I've only know a lot of them was never one myself. But young airmen would have found away not only to hide it, they would have refrigerated it too.

The Navy would have turned it into a still..... :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
But I think it's probably water supply.

Thanks to all for the inputs !

BTW maybe there's a chance that one member of these AAV crews happens to see this thread...Anything is possible on Armorama !!

Frenchy

bet they picked it up from a market trader "much cheapness" no doubt goning to slice it in 1/2 and turn it into a BBQ using some mesh screens and barb wire poles ......well thats what we Brits do just look around any UK base an you will see them

If they were U.S. Army, they not only would have "aquired" a 55 gallon full of warm beer, they would get the airman to refrigerate it for them, and trade it to the Navy for steaks and whiskey.