12-29-2016, 10:12 PM (This post was last modified: 12-29-2016, 10:59 PM by Aaronw.)
So down in the Fire Service General Discussion I mentioned a lack of Howe Fire Apparatus in the library.
As they say put up or shut up...
I can't do anything about getting a book on Howe published but maybe we can get the company a little attention here.
An abridged history taken from Walter McCall's American Fire Engine Manufacturers:
The Howe Engine Company was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1872 building piston and rotary pumps including one powered by horses walking in a circle around the pumper. by 1900 Howe was building horse drawn, gasoline engine powered pumpers, and they built their first automotive piece of fire apparatus in 1907.
In 1917 the company moved to Anderson, Indiana and changed their name to the Howe Fire Apparatus Company.
Howe received substantial contracts building fire apparatus for the US Military in both World Wars, building more than 100 during WW1 and nearly 1000 during WW2.
As a Midwest builder Howe decided it needed a gateway into the East and West coast markets which led to the company buying Oren of Virginia in 1961 and Coast in California in 1965. Howe remained a family owned business until Grumman purchased the company in 1976. Grumman continued to use the Howe name on apparatus built in the Anderson factory, until closing that facility in 1980. The name continued for a few more years in the old Oren factory, but was discontinued sometime in the early 1980s.
12-29-2016, 10:16 PM (This post was last modified: 12-29-2016, 10:49 PM by Aaronw.)
I don't have a lot of Howe apparatus to offer
This one was being used by the Fresno City College Fire Academy in 2007
Howe is best known as a builder of affordable commercial chassis rigs, but they did dabble in custom chassis frequently relying on Duplex. International's CO-8190 was another popular option.
IH CO-8190 / Howe
1000gpm? (4 discharges), unknown tank size or year. The black and yellow California license plate would make it no later than 1969.
12-29-2016, 10:30 PM (This post was last modified: 12-29-2016, 10:55 PM by Aaronw.)
IH / Howe
Mariposa County Fire Department
1250gpm, unknown tank size although I suspect 700-800 gallons.
I'm guessing this one was built in the later years between Grumman taking over and the name fading from history as it has a different style of name plate (next post).
This photo is post-refurb, it was originally "Howe Yellow" and designated "Unit 2", after the refurbish and a new numbering system this truck became Tanker 54. This is the only photo I can find of it right off hand post-refurb and prior to disposal, so credit goes to Frank Wegloski.
Previously Unit 1, and then Engine 53 for a few years prior to disposal. The Howe factory was about 25 minutes from here in Anderson, so there were/are Howes all over the place here.
12-30-2016, 04:24 PM (This post was last modified: 12-30-2016, 04:36 PM by Aaronw.)
Howe built quite a few small pumpers and brush trucks on Willys chassis.
Many were marketed as small industrial pumpers and included unusual features like tanks with an easily removable top so it could be supplied by a bucket brigade.
12-31-2016, 02:19 AM (This post was last modified: 12-31-2016, 02:19 AM by wfdstation42.)
Here is mine. A 1964 IH Howe purchased new by the National Park Service. Served its entire life at the Everglades National Park in Florida. It currently sits in my garage undergoing a lengthy restoration.
![[Image: P1010008_zpsr3z2gg7u.jpg]](http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa13/wfdstation42/1964%20International/P1010008_zpsr3z2gg7u.jpg)
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