A reality in Hollywood - what's that?

[MHLIGGINS@aol.com]

<<Furthermore, from speaking with a former WWII fighter pilot, shooting a fuel
tank that is not self sealing can and will make it explode. He had personal
experience with this in the Pacific where the Japanese planes did not have
self sealing fuel tanks as the US ones did.>>

	This is not quite correct.  Shooting the tanks DOES NOT cause the explosion.
Igniting vaporized fuel causes the explosion.  Unless the projectiles have
tracer or incendiary tips they can't ignite the fuel.  Once the fuel gets out
of the tank and vaporizes it is much easier to ignite.  Hot exhaust headers,
loose wires, sparks from electrical stuff that has been damaged, etc., are all
capable of providing the spark that would set off the gas.
	We've shot lots of gas cans with 50 Browning ammo, all we've managed to do is
send the gas into the atmosphere.  BUT when we put an ignition source nearby
we can get some spectacular explosions!

	Later.
	--ml