“Jet-A will not burn nor blow up in the tank from a rifle round and he would have known that, or should have as a pilot.”
No, as a pilot of piston aicraft there is no reason he would have known that. Also it was reported that those shots were with ‘incendiary rounds’ whatever that means.
My brother-in-law pilot of a single engine, piston driven aircraft. He had to know the difference between Jet-A and AvGas.
I have not read anywhere about any incendiary rounds.