British air portable fuel containers, Mk.5 (APFCS)

Plastic model kit of four British Army 500-gallon air-portable fuel tanks (ATFCs)

• Scale 1:35
• parts for 4 fuel tanks
• metal chain included
• unbuilt, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The Mk. 5 Air Portable Fuel Container System (APFCS) was developed by the British Armed Forces to provide forward units with a rapid and reliable fuel supply. Designed specifically for helicopter transport, the system can be carried either as an underslung load or within the cargo hold of transport helicopters such as the Boeing CH-47 Chinook or Westland Sea King. This capability allows fuel to be delivered to hard-to-reach operational areas that lack developed road infrastructure.

The Mk. 5 APFCS consists of a robust steel frame housing a securely mounted cylindrical fuel tank. Multiple containers can be transported on vehicles or trailers, or linked together at forward supply points to form a mobile refueling station. Standardized connections allow for the rapid assembly of pumps, hoses, and filtration units, enabling the direct refueling of vehicles, generators, or aircraft in the operational zone.

The system was primarily used by air-mobile units, the Royal Marines, and British Army logistics units. It saw service in conflicts such as the Gulf War, operations in the Balkans, and the war in Afghanistan, where supplying remote bases was often possible only by air. Its rugged construction and high mobility made the APFCS a vital component of British battlefield logistics.

For scale modelers, the Mk. 5 APFCS fuel containers make an interesting addition to vehicles like the Supacat ATMP or Land Rover Wolf, or to dioramas featuring a Chinook helicopter. Their distinctive protective frames, connections, and lifting eyes give the containers a unique appearance and highlight the importance of mobile fuel supply in modern air-mobile operations. Such resupply scenes offer a welcome change from classic vehicle or combat dioramas and showcase an often overlooked yet indispensable aspect of military logistics.