History of the RAF Firefighter
The Next Major Crash Truck finally delivered to the RAF in 1958 was to be the Mk6, a totally different type of vehicle that had never been seen before in the RAF Fire Service. Based on the Alvis Salamander chassis developed from the Alvis Saladin armoured car chassis it was 6×6 giving great off road capability and it could reach 60mph on a flat surface powered by a rear mounted Rolls Royce Mk81A petrol engine using a 5 speed pre-select gearbox. The driver position was in the centre of the cab. Although the foam producing capacity was about the same
1955 was to see the first Crash Truck in the RAF with a central forward facing monitor. It was designated the Mk5A the body was built by University Motors and fire equipment by Pyrene. The early productions had a different rear body shape. This tender carried 450 gallons (2,025 litres) of water and 60 gallons (270 litres) of foam compound. This also could be used for domestic (structural) fire fighting. Mk5A with the square rear bodywork, photographed at Christmas Island (Australian Indian Ocean Territories) Mk5A with the rounded rear body work, this vehicle served at RAF Leeming (Yorkshire) and RAF
The Land Rover 80’was introduced, carrying the same basic equipment as the Willy’s Jeep. Image showing the equipment on the Landrover 80
1952 saw the first of the post war vehicles coming into service, this was the Mk5 Crash Tender built by Whitson on a Thorneycroft 4×4 chassis with Sun Engineering fitting the fire equipment. It carried 400 gallons (1,800 litres) of water and 60 gallons (270 litres) of foam, the foam being delivered through hand lines. This also could be used for domestic (structural) firefighting. Mk5 Showing an original registration (AF) as they were built on second hand chassis’s
It was on the 2nd December 1953 the iconic Fire Badge was approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and presented to the Fire School by Air Marshal Sir Victor E Groome KVCO KBE CBE DFC. The badge was designed by Regional Arts & Craft College Hull. The motto was arranged by a Professor of the University of Hull, the translation being “E Flammis Atque Ruinis Salus” “Safety from Flame and Ruins” RAF Sutton-on-Hull Station Commander Wing Commander Eyes looking at the newly presented crest
1947 brought and upgrade to the AP 957 (Air Publication) designated as Part 1 for general firefighting guidance and drills. In 1949 The second part was published and was for aircraft fire fighting and crash rescue services. As part of the training package at RAF Sutton-on-Hull recruits were issued with two manuals based on the information in the Air Publications and technical information from the producers of the Crash Trucks. But not all RAF Firemen were trained at RAF Sutton-on-Hull. According to written accounts of Firemen of that era up to about the year 1952, National Service Firemen were sometimes
In 1944 the panel concluded that that vehicles capable of producing not less than 2,400 gallons per minute (10,800 litres) for a period of 10 minutes (with additional water supplies) should be made available. Also this should be supported by 1,500Ibs of Carbon Dioxide, but at the time no chassis could carry the quantity of media required. So the recommendations of the panel were met by producing Foam Tenders backed up by Water Tenders and CO2 Tenders. The first of these new Crash Tenders was the “1944 Conversion Type”, so called because it was a conversion of the 1942 WOT1.
Although the WOT1 and Crossley’s were in production there was still a shortage of fire equipment in the mid-war years. It was when the Fire School moved to RAF Weeton that the ‘Weeton Type’ was developed, which was designated WOT1A. It was on a strengthened chassis with and enclosed cab but the water/compound mixture was fed into the suction side of a standard Coventry Climax light portable pump mounted across the chassis. This increased the quantity of foam produced and a longer jet throw. Some 350 ‘Weeton Type’ Crash Tenders were put into service following their introduction in 1944. The
In July 1940 the Fire Training moved from RAF Cranwell to RAF Weeton but only for 3 years and in August 1943 moved to RAF Sutton on Hull. This was where the Fire Service was to see immense changes in its structure and organisation. The Training unit was to be known as the RAF School of Firefighting. The Air Ministry realised that there had to be significant changes made in the approach to aircraft fire fighting. This was mainly due to aircraft becoming larger with increased fuel loads which in turn required greater foam producing capacity from vehicles. Also the
Many people would not associate the Royal Air Force Fire Service with boats. But in the late thirties early forties some seaplane tenders which were used for servicing RAF Flying Boats were converted to Fire Floats in order to reduce the risk of damage by fire in the seaplane while secured in the harbour out of reach of a normal fire tender and it would also be used to protect other installations. At first there were several conversion types, and ranged in length from 37.5 ft, 38ft and 40ft (11 to 12 mtrs) and were powered by either Meadows or
During This Decade (1930’s) The Crossley IGL (Indian Government Lorry) went into service with the RAF the first example of this in 1936 was the ‘Streamlined Crossley’ 6×4 which was also the first fire vehicle with bodywork enclosing the whole vehicle. It was fitted with 200 gallon water tank and 20 gallons of foam compound were available for foam production and discharge by twin air-foam pumps driven by a power take-off in the cab. It was also equipped with four 60Ib CO2 cylinders discharging through hosereels and applicators. The streamlining was not an exercise in styling, but was designed to
1932 The Air Ministry published an ‘Air Publication’ (AP) 957 entitled ‘ROYAL AIR FORCE FIRE MANUAL. Although it was a general fire fighting manual there is mentioned two early Fire Tenders and drills associated with these. Also an appendix laying out the Syllabus for a Course of Instruction in Fire Fighting Duties at RAF Cranwell appears. 1932 Ford 6 x 4 with Three Foam Tanks Another type of Crossley with mounted foam extinguishers. These vehicles also had the capacity for a stretcher bay to carry a casualty Rear view showing the stretcher bay.
In 1921 Vehicles were initially adapted to the airfield role and modified Crossley 6X6 tenders were fitted with crash rescue equipment, a single 30 Gallon chemical foam extinguisher and ‘Fire Snow’ (Foam) hand held extinguishers. By 1922 the modification programme was complete. A rebuilt Crossley Crash tender at Duxford showing a single 30 gallon chemical extinguisher tank mounted behind the driver.
In 1918 fires at Shotwick and Ternhill cost £57,000 also losses of nearly £50,000 after fires at Wyton, Upavon and Lopcombe Manor compelled the Air Ministry to order a number of fire fighting vehicles with pumping facilities. Also a fire On May 21st 1919 at Ligescourt in France resulted in the loss of a Handley Page aircraft (0/400 D8314) and the hanger in which was accommodated. This fire was fought with only portable extinguishers, subsequently the Court of Inquiry concluded that the RAF lacked effective fire fighting equipment and that personnel were poorly trained. This eventually led to the provision