C-47 undercarriage tanks

[Pistol Pete]

I was watching a history of the 101st Airborne tonight and the C-47s had what looked like four 250 pounder bombs or, finned drop tanks attached to their bellies during WW2 drop operations. Anyone know what those were?

[gopsdragon]

Douglas C-47 Skytrain:

Based on the civil DC-3A, powered by 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 radials, rated at 1,200 hp (895 kW) each. It differed from it's civil brother in having a large 2-part freightdoor on the port side, reinforced cabin floor with tie-down rings, increased wingspan by 6 in (0,152 m), a little less fuel capacity of 669.5 Imp gal (804 US gal/3111 l, 15 Imp gal/18 US gal/295 l less then DC-3), provision for 9 auxiliary cabin fuel tanks (see specs table above), and an astrodome in the top of the fuselage behind the flightdeck.
Later aircraft of this version also featured attachments under the center of the wings for large loads that could be paradropped, and revision of the tail so it could tug gliders.
Number built: 965

For more details go here -
http://www.xs4all.nl/~fbonne/warbirds/ww2htmls/dougc47.html#dougc47verstab

[Pistol Pete]

Thanks. I guess those pods I saw could have been for addtional supply drops with the troops. Probably filled with SPAM.