Posts Tagged Chicago Truck 21

CFD Apparatus History – trucks with boosters

Some additional information about the aerials purchased by the Chicago Fire Department in the late 60s and early 70s . Some have inquired about the fact that several aerials were delivered with booster reels and 300-gallon water tanks. There were several types of aerials purchased by the CFD during this time frame.

These included:

  • (3) 1968 Mack CF/Pirsch 100-foot aerials (with a red cab face) (300-gallon tanks)
  • (1) 1968 Seagrave aerial with an FWD chassis featuring rear steering for Truck 63 at O’Hare Airport
  • (8) 1970 Seagrave rear-mounts (250-gallon tanks)
  • (5) 1970 Ward LaFrance/Grove units assigned to Truck 7, Truck 12, Truck 18, Truck 21, and Truck 34 (300-gallon tanks)
  • (3) 1972 Mack CF 700/Pirsch 100-foot aerials (with a silver cab face) (300-gallon tanks)

At some point in time, the shops drained the water tanks and removed the booster reels as seen in some of the photos posted HERE and below.

Future posts will show more of these aerials, but the photos here show a few examples.

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Seagrave Rear Admiral O'hare Airport

This is a 1968 Seagrave Rear Admiral 100′ aerial with a 500-gallon booster tank and twin booster reels. It features an FWD chassis with rear steering and was assigned to Truck 63 at O’Hare Airport. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago Fire Department Truck 5 1972 Mack CF Pirsch

Truck 5 was assigned one of three 1972 100-foot Pirsch rear-mount aerials mounted on a Mack CF chassis with a 500-gallon water tank and twin booster reels. Larry Shapiro photo

Previous posts in this series depicted CFD trucks with boosters from 1967 and CFD trucks with boosters from 1968.

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CFD Apparatus History – Ward LaFrance trucks (1970)

Part 2 in the series on CFD Ward LaFrance apparatus in Chicago discusses the Grove aerials. Bill Friedrich submitted the following information:
There were a total of (5) WLF P80/Grove 100-foot rear-mount aerials ordered.  Companies that received these were Truck 12 (E-183), Truck 34 (E-184), Truck 21 (E-185), Truck 18 (E-186), and Truck 7 (E-187). These were delivered with booster reels that were removed from Trucks 12 & 18.
Chicago Fire Department 1970 Ward LaFrance/Grove 100' rear mount aerial.

Chicago Truck 18 shown here with their 1970 Ward LaFrance/Grove 100' rear mount aerial. Bill Friedrich photo

Chicago Fire Department Truck 12 1970 Ward LaFrance Grove aerial

Truck 12 also had one of the 100-foot Grove aerials with a Ward LaFrance Ambassador cab and chassis. As shown here, the booster reel has been removed. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago Fire Department Ward LaFrance Ambassador Grove aerial

Chicago Truck 7 at the fire academy when it was ready to go in service. The booster reel is visible above the ground ladders. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department Ward LaFrance Ambassador Grove aerial

Truck 34 during a fire prevention week parade on State Street. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department Ward LaFrance Ambassador Grove aerial

Truck 21's apparatus (E-185) was later assigned to Truck 39. Jack Connors photo

Truck 21’s unit was later reassigned to Truck 39, and Truck 7’s unit was reassigned to Truck 61.

Chicago Fire Department Ward LaFrance Ambassador Grove aerial

Truck Company 61 was assigned the unit that was previously Truck 7. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department Ward LaFrance Ambassador Grove aerial

This unit (Shop #E-185) was given to Truck 39 after it saw service as Truck 21. The booster reel as seen in the image of Truck 21 was removed prior to the re-assignment to Truck 39. Jack Connors photo

 

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