Shared Audio

If the bullet hit the tank, fuel would leak out, soaking into layers of rubber built into the tank walls. And one of those layers would begin to swell, expanding inward toward the bullet hole. As it grows, it squeezes until the hole’s shut, preventing the fuel from leaking out. You see, the tanks u…

If the bullet hit the tank, fuel would leak out, soaking into layers of rubber built into the tank walls. And one of those layers would begin to swell, expanding inward toward the bullet hole. As it grows, it squeezes until the hole’s shut, preventing the fuel from leaking out. You see, the tanks used to be metal, and when they were shot, fuel sprayed into the air, turning into a mist that ignited the plane.So engineers used rubber instead so it seals the hole, and the fuel stays inside.