New Crash Tender for R.A.F.
Page 29
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ANEW crash tender of a type now being supplied in large numbers to the Air Ministry is to be shown at the Royal Air Force Review to be held at Odiham, Hants, next Wednesday.
With replenishment, this fire-fighting machine has a total foam output of 5,880 gal., and by using two 500-gal. water tenders the foam output can be boosted to 20,500 gal.
The basis of the machine is a Thornycroft Nubian four-wheel-drive cross-country chassis powered by a Rolls-Royce 11D eight-cylindered petrol engine. This engine develops 160 b.h.p. at 3,750 r.p.m., and at 1,750 r.p.m. the torque produced is 283 lb.-ft.
Power is transmitted through a fourspeed gearbox and to a two-speed transfer box which distributes the drive to the front and rear axles. Epicyclic gearing is incorporated in the wheel hubs. Single 12.00-20-in. tyres are used on the four wheels. The body, which was built and fitted out by Sun Engineering (Richmond), Ltd., 45 Cambridge Road, Richmond, Surrey, has . a saloon cab accommodating the driver and a crew of three. It is panelled on the underside with insulated material and for proofing against frost tubular heaters are fitted.
A Sun 2,300 g.p.m. foam pump and a 200 g.p.m. water pump arc driven from power take-offs mounted on the transfer box and main gearbox respectively. The water tank has a capacity of 400 gal., and the foam compound tank 70 gal.
To fill the foam tank a Sun manually operated rotary pump is used. There are four foam-delivery points in the centre and two on each side. Waterdelivery points consist of two in the centre and one on each side.
The foam-delivery points haste quickaction valves, whilst those controlling the water are of the screw-down type.