Re: Bullets + Gas tanks. The truth?

[CamaroGen1@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 5/1/01 2:59:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
J.rjhansen@inav.net writes:


> Nah.  Only the fuel that had already mixed with oxygen would go up in
> flames; the fuel inside the tank wouldn't burn, because there's no
> oxidizer.  If the explosion ruptured the tank, okay, then you'd have a
> major fire problem--but since most of that fuel would be in a liquid
> state, not gaseous, you still wouldn't get a Hollywood-style explosion.
> By the time 8,000 gallons of fuel get pushed out a fifty-caliber hole,
> most of the 8,000 gallons have already dispersed on the wind or is
> accumulating on the ground.



       Correct, EXCEPT, that if the fuel tank ruptured, expecially from a 
small explosion of aresoled fuel/air, then that hole would be bigger than a 
50 cal bullet...and i can tell you, a large amount of gas does not evaperate 
that quickly, it would start a major liquid fire.  true, hollywood overdoes 
things, but there is a 0.01% chance that it COULD blow big like in movies.

Benjamin