Self sealing oil tank from a Junkers Ju 88 : Flight Sergeant R S Williams, 122 Squadron Royal Air Force

A rubberised self sealing oil tank from a Junkers Ju 88 twin engined bomber. There is an impact dent to the upper forward end of the tank with a rubber patch immediately adjacent. Four mounting straps are incorporated into each corner of the top of the tank, while two access ports and a specification plate are also attached. Painted onto the upper surface are the words 'Museum Equip -33- Item 264'. The tank base features a specification plate with the following details: 'Great 8-4108C/Prufdruk O.Zatii/Beh Nr RA12404/235-Inhalt.' The forward section of the base incorporates two pumping valves mounted in line, to which are attached the following manufacturer's details: 'Bauart OBU Berlin/SFK 134/T-285/Werk Nr 0784/Hersteller Deutsche Benzinuhren Gmbh Berlin'. Glued to the rear section of the base are two rubber letters 'SB', presumably indicating its location within the starboard wing. This entire outer layer of the tank takes the form of two stretched rubber covers, held under tension by twelve cloth buckles attached to rubber loops.

German self sealing oil tank recovered from a Junkers Ju 88 twin engined bomber shot down on 8 May 1943 over East Anglia in daylight by 408667 Flight Sergeant Robert Sydney Williams, RAAF, of 122 Squadron RAF, while flying a Spitfire VB. On 8 May 1943 six Ju 88s attempted an early morning raid on the south coast of England, but were engaged by Fighter Command Spitfires. Three Junkers were destroyed and one damaged. Two Norwegian pilots destroyed one Ju 88, which broke into three pieces, and crashed into a field; a parachute was seen to stream out of the aircraft and open. A second Ju 88 was attacked by Williams, causing it to burst into flames. At the time, 122 Squadron was based at Hornchurch, East Anglia, mainly engaged on flying sweeps over northern France.