CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT 1954 FWD 85′ TRACTOR-DRAWN AERIAL
Each production model is unique. Each wooden ladder is replicated using water immersion graphics to create a wood grain appearance. The wood grain and tone will vary, model to model. In addition, each H&L Co. replica has unique graphics including license plates, and door and hood decals. H&L Companies 19 and 33 feature “Chicago Fire Dept.” on the hood, while the others feature “C.F.D”.
H&L 8 – “C.F.D” on the hood. and slightly darker wood tones for the laddersH&L 19 – “Chicago Fire Dept.” on the hood and slightly darker wood tones for the laddersH&L 26 – “C.F.D” on the hood. and slightly darker wood tones for the laddersH&L 33 – “Chicago Fire Dept.” on the hood. and slightly lighter wood tones for the laddersH&L 41 – “C.F.D” on the hood. and slightly lighter wood tones for the laddersH&L 53 – “C.F.D” on the hood. and slightly lighter wood tones for the ladders
Preserved and protected in a custom case. The 1954 FWD Tractor-Trailer measures 15 inches long and includes a fully custom case measuring 18″L x 6″W x 5.25″T. The case includes a stainless steel nameplate featuring the truck/department name and CFD scramble logo.
Hand-crafted using over 965 intricately detailed parts. Chicago’s FWD tractor-trailer features true-to-scale parts that are individually designed, cast or fabricated, painted, decorated and assembled over the course of 18 months. From the hand lights mounted behind the cab to the trailer-mounted street and cellar pipes, the 1954 FWD is authentic and precise.
The flagship of any elite vintage fire truck collection. This is your opportunity to take home a piece of Chicago firefighting history. This 1:50 scale model of Chicago Fire Department’s 1954 FWD 85′ Tractor Drawn Aerial is a museum grade masterpiece, and a worthy addition to elite Chicago collections. Hand-crafted and limited in production, this replica will not be available long.
#1 by Chuck on November 12, 2019 - 12:05 PM
John, the original Aerialscopes were built by a company called Baker Equipment and Engineering. The company was bought by Seagrave in 1999.
#2 by Bill Post on November 12, 2019 - 11:57 AM
Mabas 21 you are right. Engine 49’s old house became the EPDS which was originally the Chicago Civil Defense Fire and Rescue Service. They were located in Engine 27 and Ambulance 11’s old house at 1244 N Wells Street before moving to the Engine 49’s old house.
#3 by MABAS 21 on November 12, 2019 - 11:14 AM
Bill Post, wasn’t 49’s former house later the quarters of EPDS (CD Fire/Rescue)?
#4 by Bill Post on November 12, 2019 - 10:51 AM
Rich A. Truck 19 was at the same location as today however the old house was torn down and replaced in 1962. It was a one bay station they shared with the old 5th Battalion. When the house was being built, Truck 19 was moved to Engine 4’s house and Battalion 5 was relocated to Truck 10 at Engine 26 and Truck 7’s old quarters at 457 N Wolcott, which is still standing.
Engine 4’s current house which opened in 1960 also housed Engine 27 and Ambulance 11. Truck 10 and Battalion 3 were at 1613 N Hudson. After four years they moved in with Engine 4 during April of 1964. The reason they didn’t move sooner was political and had nothing to do with space. Engine 27 was still in service when Battalion 3 and Truck 10 moved in. They didn’t go out of service until 1965.
Truck 33 was in a single truck house at 4459 S Marshfield which is only a block and a half south of their current station, and about two and a half blocks from Engine 49’s old station at 43rd and Paulina. The information I have is that Truck 33’s old house is still standing but Engine 49’s old two-bay house was torn down.
There were a lot of old fire stations in the Back of the Yards and the Stockyards that were within walking distance of each other. Several areas of the city had stations that were short distances from each other.
#5 by Rich A on November 11, 2019 - 11:12 PM
Can anyone tell me where the fire house locations were for H&L 19 and 33?
Thanks.
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#6 by MABAS 21 on November 5, 2019 - 9:14 AM
Thank you Phil for your detailed history!
#7 by Bill Post on November 4, 2019 - 9:53 PM
Thanks for the information Phil. It’s always a pleasure reading your pieces on apparatus history from both Chicago and Evanston.
There is a typo though for the 1954 Pirsch rigs. The second 1954 Pirsch should read Truck 10 instead of 16. It is interesting how many of those rigs were shifted around a few years after their original assignments.
The 1954 Pirsch originally assigned to Truck 34 was involved in an accident in 1959. The wood aerial was damaged and Pirsch retrofitted the trailer with a 100-foot metal ladder. The new TDA was assigned to Truck 11. For a short while it was on Truck 10 as a spare rig in the late 1960s after their Mack Magirus was reassigned. That rig actually spent it’s last few years assigned to Truck 19 in the early 1970s before Truck 19 got their first Seagrave rear mounted aerial around 1975.
Another interesting retrofit was also originally assigned to Truck 19. It was their original 1954 FWD that was sent to Seagrave about the time their new house was opened 1962. At Seagrave, a 100-foot metal ladder was put on the trailer. It was reassigned to Truck 9 in 1963 replacing a 1956 85-foot wood ladder. Truck 19’s retrofitted trailer still ran with the FWD tractor when they were reassigned to Truck 9. It was easy to see why they gave that rig to Truck 9. Their old house was a single bay station which had to accommodate both Engine 11 and the truck with a very long wood aerial and long rear overhang. It was a tight adventure for the crew to back the 1956 rig into the house. Hubbard Street was also narrow.
Eventually the 1954 retrofitted trailer was reassigned to Truck 48 on the west side with a new Mack tractor and an M/B cab.
#8 by Phil Stenholm on November 4, 2019 - 5:27 PM
MABAS21: Yes.
There were twelve 1954 FWD TDA (E&F tractor-trailer combos) and they were originally assigned to T8, T15, T16, T19, T21, T26, T32, T33, T41, T46, T53, and T57, and there was also one spare 1954 FWD tractor included in the order.
That same year (1954) in a separate order the CFD acquired six Pirsch TDA (originally assigned to T2, T16, T20, T27, T34, and T49), plus one spare Pirsch tractor.
The CFD added seven more FWD TDA (E&F tractor-trailers) in 1956 and they were assigned to T9, T11, T18, T30, T37, T47, and T58, but there was no spare tractor included in this order.
The seven 1956 FWD TDA were the last TDA acquired by the CFD until 1976 when five IH Cargostar / Seagrave 100′ TDA were added (assigned to T14, T41, T42, T53, and T54), and the 1976 rigs were the last of the CFD TDAs.
#9 by Crabbymilton on November 4, 2019 - 2:00 PM
I need to correct that. SEAGRAVE is now owned by ELB CAPITAL MANAGEMENT as of few years ago. FWD was forced to sell of most of their units because of misconduct of some people. So for all practical purposes FWD is no longer.
#10 by Crabbymilton on November 4, 2019 - 1:51 PM
Hello John. FWD is the parent company of SEAGRAVE and has been practically forever now. They keep pretty much hands off much the way but not exactly the same way OSHKOSH owns PIERCE.
#11 by John Antkowski on November 4, 2019 - 12:31 PM
I believe FWD was built in Wisconsin. And was it Pierce or Seagrave that bought them out? The Aerialscope was an FWD an product? Correct me if I’m wrong. John
#12 by Crabbymilton on November 4, 2019 - 11:47 AM
Those models are great but too much$$.
MFD had several FWD chassis apparatus at one time.
Not what you may call pretty but tougher than a bad well done steak.
Obviously better suited for construction and DPW but I guess they wanted to consolidate parts.
#13 by MABAS 21 on November 4, 2019 - 11:34 AM
Did these companies listed actually have an FWD H&L assigned to them at one time?
#14 by David on November 4, 2019 - 6:43 AM
Bill, I think the only difference was the raising mechanism which was about the same on the 1949 and 1954 models, but looked a bit different on the ’56 rigs. You can see it when you look at, say, the old Truck 9 (1956 model) and the restored ’54 rig which was at the CFD muster. The mechanism looked a bit “simpler” or how to put it, on the ’56 rigs.
Anyway, these replicas are just incredible.
#15 by Bill Post on November 2, 2019 - 11:59 PM
What a beautiful model. The 1954 models were very similar to 1956 models were which were the last wooden tillered aerials bought by the Chicago Fire Department. There were about a dozen of the 1954 models built and 7 of the 1956 models were built.
I wonder if there is any noticeable difference between the two models?