Damned if it don't work! :d
How to mount pylons permanently:
Aircraft .xpd
<Loadouts>
<Loadout Name="Clean">
<Hardpoint ID="5" PylonType="A_P84drop_left_pylon" PayloadType=""/>
<Hardpoint ID="6" PylonType="A_P84drop_right_pylon" PayloadType=""/>
</Loadout>
Pylon .xpd
Turn the drop tanks into a pylon
Before:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<UnitData>
<General Allegience="" LongName="" ShortName="225gal Drop Tank" ModelName="
A_P84drop_left.m3d" BlastDamageScale="1.0" ImpactDamageScale="1.0" FireDamageScale="1.0" Priority="2" Type="weapon" EnteredService="03/01/1943" BlastDamageMod="1" ImpactDamageMod="1" FireDamageMod="1" Category="weapon" Country="usa" Mass="7"/>
<Description String="225gal Drop Tank"/>
<Weapon ImpactDice="1" ImpactDieSize="1" ImpactOffset="1" BlastDice="1" BlastDieSize="1" BlastOffset="1" FireDice="1" FireDieSize="1" FireOffset="1" WeaponType="
drop_tank" WeaponMass="624.6" GroundEffect="fx_dirtspray_m" WaterEffect="fx_bltwtr_l" Drag=".005"/>
<Loadouts/>
<GunStations/>
<DamageBoxes/>
<Systems/>
<Effects>
<Effect Type="Track" EffectName="fx_droptank_s" PosX="0.0" PosY="0.0" PosZ="0.0" MinVel="90" MaxVel="450"/>
</Effects>
</UnitData>
After:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<UnitData>
<General Allegience="" LongName="" ShortName="225gal Drop Tank" ModelName="
A_P84drop_left_pylon.m3d" BlastDamageScale="1.0" ImpactDamageScale="1.0" FireDamageScale="1.0" Priority="2" Type="weapon" EnteredService="03/01/1943" BlastDamageMod="1" ImpactDamageMod="1" FireDamageMod="1" Category="weapon" Country="usa" Mass="7"/>
<Description String="225gal Drop Tank"/>
<Weapon ImpactDice="1" ImpactDieSize="1" ImpactOffset="1" BlastDice="1" BlastDieSize="1" BlastOffset="1" FireDice="1" FireDieSize="1" FireOffset="1" WeaponType="
pylon" WeaponMass="624.6" GroundEffect="fx_dirtspray_m" WaterEffect="fx_bltwtr_l" Drag=".005"/>
<Loadouts/>
<GunStations/>
<DamageBoxes/>
<Systems/>
<Effects>
<Effect Type="Track" EffectName="fx_droptank_s" PosX="0.0" PosY="0.0" PosZ="0.0" MinVel="90" MaxVel="450"/>
</Effects>
</UnitData>
I changed the name of the .xpd as well as the .m3d file from a weapon name to a pylon name.
View attachment 555