Military Fire Trucks

[Knucklehead]

I found this site. Some of you will like it. It has many military trucks converted into firetrucks. They really start in the 1940s section. Here is the link:
http://www.capecodfd.com/PAGES Special/Breakers00.htm

 

[mcmullag]

massive brush guard

Enjoyed the pics on that site very much! But why the massive brush guards projecting forward on an angle? I mean I understand what the bars would do but I just have not seen the bars projecting forward like that on other brush fire trucks around the country. Why does this area feel the need to push over stuff rather than go around it? It seems upright brush guards protect the vehicle while the vehicles on this site are set up to push over brush.

 

[Towman2277]

Thanks for the site! It has tons of info on brush trucks and photos of how they are constructed.

 

[wjruth]

It has to do with the terrain. Some parts of Cape Cod have 2 or 3 miles between roads. For them it is more effective to knock a few trees over to get to a brush fire. You won't find logging roads to use like out west and the housing areas are spread out in such a way that you can't just fly in a crew to create a firebreak and wait for the fire to get there. You need to put the fire out in a hurry.

 

[Knucklehead]

mcmullaq, Cape Cod is very sandy and covered with short dense Scrub Pine. The trees do not grow to tall so the trucks push them out of the way, and clear a fire break at the same time.The bars also help keep the trucks from sinking too deep into the soil when they do get stuck. I have seen many of these trucks in person and the Breakers are massive. I find it sad that they are hard to aquire when retired. They sit abandoned for years while government officials ponder their fate, which is usually scrap.

 

[clinto]

Great website, thanks for the link, I looked at every page. Very interesting.

Amazing how this equipment serves with distinction for 20, 30, sometimes 40+ years.

 

[Hookin1]

Great websight...those are cool trucks.....the one thing is can you imagine how hard it is to turn those dueces with all that steel hanging out there in front

 

[Towman2277]

Yeah, imagine trying to tow one of those trucks with the tow-bar setup......better call the lowboy!