From Larry Shapiro for #TBT:
Here are other American LaFrance Aero Chief units from my collection in addition to the Zion unit that was featured preciously.
Reg.# 12-1-1314
1969 ALF 900 Series Aero Chief 90 from Elgin, IL. Larry Shapiro photo
Reg.# 8-1-429
1967 ALF 900 Series Aero Chief 90 from LaGrange, IL
Originally delivered as a quint, this Aero Chief had it’s pump and tank removed. A large equipment compartment replaced the pump. Larry Shapiro photo
Reg.# 14-1-2331
1971 ALF 1000 Series Aero Chief 90 Quint from Libertyville, IL. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Reg.# 14-1-2131
1970 ALF 1000 Series Aero Chief 90 Quint from Rolling Meadows, IL. Larry Shapiro photo
Data and narrative for these photos is from THE AMERICAN LAFRANCE AERO CHIEF PROJECT
This website is the result of a twelve year project to document the production and history of the American LaFrance Aero Chief. The Aero Chief was introduced in 1962 and continued in production until 1974. 171 Aero Chief platforms were built. It came in three sizes: 70′, 80′, and 90′. Most Aero Chiefs were built on the custom American LaFrance chassis, but there were several built on various commercial chassis. Many of them had pumps and even more had tandem rear axles.
The photos on this site come from a variety of sources. I have photgraphed 65 of them, but the remainder come from many other photographers, including Glenn Vincent, Mike Martinelli, Scott Berringer, Kevin McKeon, Garry Kadzielawski, Bill Friedrich, Don Feipel, Bill Hattersley, Paul Barrett, Scott Mattson, John Floyd, Al Whitlock, Don Loeb, Dan Decher, Ralph Decker, Jon Umbdenstock, Ron Bogardus, Wayne Sorensen, Chuck Madderom, Richard Bartlett, Dave Stewardson, Ken Wible, John Langley, Todd Lincoln, Dan Jasina, Tom Shepherd, Mark Rzepnicki, Andrew Henry, Mike Bakunis, and a host of others whose names have faded from my feeble memory. If you have sent me photos and you can’t find your name, please contact me and it will be immediately corrected. Additional photos came from many of the fire departments who owned Aero Chiefs. To all these contributors, I am forever in your debt.
The information on this website will be updated as it becomes available. Any additional information or photos are always welcome. Please contact me through the link at the bottom of this page. Thank you and enjoy!
#1 by DaveyB on April 21, 2018 - 11:05 AM
To correct myself, the links in the article take you to the website I quoted.
#2 by DaveyB on April 20, 2018 - 9:12 AM
Go to aerochief.com, on page 2, they have a picture of an 80′, 1965 Aerochief for Gary, IN, that started out in South Holland, IL. Bill Fredrich has a picture of it in South Holland. Go to the link on the home page, Chicago Metro, Cook County South, South Holland.
#3 by Daniel Hynd on April 19, 2018 - 3:27 PM
It seems like there were a lot of snorkels (to be more generic, articulating boom platforms) back in the 1970s. Is there a specific reason to that? Was that the 1970s equalivelent to the modern Tower Ladder? They look nice and it’s unfortunate there’s not a lot of them around anymore (though I have seen Chicago’s, Glen Ellyns, and Channahons irl)
#4 by Mike L on April 19, 2018 - 2:59 PM
Outstanding, Larry!! The picture of the Meadows’ Aero Chief getting moved out of the way at the Arlington Park fire is a great picture. I’m sure someone on here has that pic. That was an incredible fire and several times during it almost caused multiple FF fatalities. Fortunately, they got “lucky” every one of those times.
#5 by CrabbyMilton on April 19, 2018 - 8:43 AM
Beautiful classic is the best way to describe the ALF 900, 1000 and later the CENTURY. Then you add that AERO CHIEF and you really got something. I wonder how many are still around?
Even though ALF had many problems over the decades,that obviously was at a time when ALF still was at least mildly interested in quality otherwise they might still be around but ceased operations in 2014.
#6 by David on April 19, 2018 - 8:26 AM
Really nice looking rigs, I can imagine that the extreme front overhang of the boom must have been a problem sometimes, especially in the case of the 90ft boom on the shorter two axle ALF chassis as shown on the ALF Aero Chief Project website.