Ward LaFrance Ultravision

[Guest]

Fairview Fire Dist. Greenburgh NY westchester county

[Guest]

Fairview Fire Dist. Greenburgh NY westchester county

[yelrowekim]

[quote name='Engine504Driver' post='7427' date='Jul 11 2006, 13:36 ']Anybody out here have a pic of the WLF Ultravison pumper that Quincy, MA had? It was lettered for "Engine B" Yes, that's a B, not an 8. Don't know why they did that though. Saw that rig on regular runs through my neighborhood when I was a young lad living in Quincy.[/quote]



Here is a few shots of it as E B, E 5, and E 2... It went from E B to E 2 to E 7 back to E 2 then to E 5... then became a spare in 1994 for a while before it was "disposed" of....



   



   



   

[Guest]

The list shows three going to New Albany, IN, all in 1978:



80-1646 100' RM L-1

80-1647 1500/500 E-1

80-1652 100' RM L-2



While I can't confirm that the former L-2 went to Terre Haute, I can account for there still being one in New Albany if it did.

This information is correct, there were 2 WLF RM aerials at New Albany. When New Albany sold one aerial to Terre Haute the Chief of the THFD decided that lime green was a fine color for aerials (the THFD fleet was red at the time). That's why the THFD paintd their beautiful, original 1959 or so Maxim open cab aerial (the rare kind built on the IH bus chassis) lime green just before taking it out of service. If I ever run into that Chief I'm going to go get a can of lime green spray paint, give him a base coat and tell him it's a fine color for a former Chief.....

[Guest]

[quote name='GA_Dave' post='92960' date='Mar 31 2007, 15:48 ']The list shows three going to New Albany, IN, all in 1978:



80-1646 100' RM L-1

80-1647 1500/500 E-1

80-1652 100' RM L-2



While I can't confirm that the former L-2 went to Terre Haute, I can account for there still being one in New Albany if it did.[/quote]



New Albany did receive these 3 rigs. However, Ladder 2 was not in service long. The department quickly decided it didn't need 2 truck companies and parted ways with Ladder 2. #80-1646 did serve until 1996, when it was replaced by a Pierce Lance 100' tower. It was kept as a reserve for several more years until it was sold to a local collector. The pumper, #80-1647 has been heavily refurbed by RPI and still serves as a reserve. I have a bad shot of Ladder 1 at a convention and I've still yet to shoot the elusive pumper.

[Guest]

QUOTE

About those Henderson KY rigs. The one as E6 has no Ward id plates on it anywhere. inside the cab is a Midwest plate however complete with the Ward 80series # listed as the "chassis" and 31584 listed as the "serial". I'm guessing that Midwest was the Ward dealer at the time? The guys at Henderson have told me that they've never bought any modern rigs used;everything has been new. Was there also a 1973 listed as being delivered to Indy or the Indy area dealer? If so, thats probably the other Henderson rig(E4).

I do show a 1972, 80-651 with a delivery date of 3/31/72, that is listed as Indianapolis, IN, just like the other one was. Does anyone know if the Indianapolis FD ever had any Ambassador pumpers?

O.K., this is the first time I've read this thread and I started on the last page and I'm going forward. I don't recall seeing this question answered so hopefully I'm not repeating something that was previously posted. Midwest Fire & Safety out of Indianapolis was noted for many years as being the sales distributor for Boyer apparatus in Indiana and Kentucky for a loooooong time. Midwest then went on to sell a whole lot of Pierce fire engines (they are no longer a Pierce dealer as of last year). Anyway, for a couple of years in between Boyer and Pierce, Midwest sold, come on, guess, fill in the blanks, W rd L F an e apparatus. I recall at least one Ford/WLF rig that had no WLF identification, but was identified on the Midwest name plate with a WLF serial number (didn't Firefox in Houston do something similar?).



Also, to the best of my knowledge Henderson does not/has not purchased used apparatus.



Steve

[Guest]

[quote name='Box2565' post='94355' date='Apr 4 2007, 05:46 ']This information is correct, there were 2 WLF RM aerials at New Albany. When New Albany sold one aerial to Terre Haute the Chief of the THFD decided that lime green was a fine color for aerials (the THFD fleet was red at the time). That's why the THFD paintd their beautiful, original 1959 or so Maxim open cab aerial (the rare kind built on the IH bus chassis) lime green just before taking it out of service. If I ever run into that Chief I'm going to go get a can of lime green spray paint, give him a base coat and tell him it's a fine color for a former Chief.....[/quote]

Ok I'm anal about things Steve;can you tell me when THFD bought this ladder, and was it in frontline service or used just as a reserve?

[Guest]

O.K. First up is the 1st Ford/WLF that I ever photographed that was only identified with Midwest name plates. Unfortunately back in 1976 when I took this picture I was very hit and miss about serial numbers and I didn't record the serial number.



Franklin Township at Indianapolis, Indiana

1972 Ford/Ward LaFrance

1000 GPM - 1000 Tank

Steve Hagy photo.

[Guest]

[quote name='fsw1970' post='94361' date='Apr 4 2007, 07:52 ']Ok I'm anal about things Steve;can you tell me when THFD bought this ladder, and was it in frontline service or used just as a reserve?[/quote]



I was in Terre Haute on October 6, 1989 and the WLF aerial was in front line service at the firehouse on the east side of Downtown. The ladder was the only company operating out of the station at the time and even though a picture would have been fairly easy I wasn't able to persuade anyone to get behind the wheel. I'm not sure how long THFD had owned the ladder at that point. The 1959 Maxim was at Station 9 where it was being kept as a spare. Much friendlier crew there so at least I have a picture of the Maxim in the bad paint job.



Here is the aerial that New Albany kept. I've been up for almost 24 hours and I'm too tired to walk down stairs and look up the date on this photo, but it was about July of 1999.



New Albany, Indiana Ladder 2

1973 Ward LaFrance

100' Aerial

#80-1646

Steve Hagy photo.

[Guest]

I got New Albany Ladder 1 and 2 mixed up. Get some sleep Steve! I'll let you know the next time I'm up your way, lots of N KY and southern Ohio new deliveries to shoot!

[GA_Dave]

O.K., this is the first time I've read this thread and I started on the last page and I'm going forward. I don't recall seeing this question answered so hopefully I'm not repeating something that was previously posted. Midwest Fire & Safety out of Indianapolis was noted for many years as being the sales distributor for Boyer apparatus in Indiana and Kentucky for a loooooong time. Midwest then went on to sell a whole lot of Pierce fire engines (they are no longer a Pierce dealer as of last year). Anyway, for a couple of years in between Boyer and Pierce, Midwest sold, come on, guess, fill in the blanks, W rd L F an e apparatus. I recall at least one Ford/WLF rig that had no WLF identification, but was identified on the Midwest name plate with a WLF serial number (didn't Firefox in Houston do something similar?).

I ran across two similar Ford/Midwest rigs in Ellettsville, IN years ago. I'll post the pics tomorrow. Even though they were badged as Midwest, they looked very much like Ward LaFrance bodies (Just like we found with the Fire Fox rigs). Maybe Rich Gergel can provide more insight as to the relationships between WLF and these two other companies.

[Guest]

I've shot one of those rigs in Ellettsville, the Ford C Squrt, as has Frank. I also thought they appeared to be Ward bodies with Midwest badging.

[Engine504Driver]

[quote name='yelrowekim' post='94335' date='Apr 4 2007, 03:06 ']Here is a few shots of it as E B, E 5, and E 2... It went from E B to E 2 to E 7 back to E 2 then to E 5... then became a spare in 1994 for a while before it was "disposed" of....











[/quote]



That's it - brings back some fond memories of the many, many runs I saw it make......Thanks

[Engine504Driver]

I found this last weekend sitting behind the Holly Grove VFD in Bumpass, VA (Louisa County) Virginia.........I don't know any details on it....maybe "firemag" or "roto-ray" might ..........

[Guest]

[quote name='KENTucky' post='94605' date='Apr 5 2007, 05:53 ']I've shot one of those rigs in Ellettsville, the Ford C Squrt, as has Frank. I also thought they appeared to be Ward bodies with Midwest badging.[/quote]

The other is a 1971 Ford F pumper which I shot(very poorly) back in 1998 before the new Pierce replaced it.

[Guest]

Ellettsville, Indiana Engine 10

1971 Ford/Ward LaFrance

750 GPM - 500 Tank

#73-601

Steve Hagy photo.



A perfect spring day on the way to St. Louis back in the '80's! My first, and only, encounter with the powder blue apparatus at Ellettsville. The Midwest logo really jumps out at you on this one!

[GA_Dave]

I found this last weekend sitting behind the Holly Grove VFD in Bumpass, VA (Louisa County) Virginia.........I don't know any details on it....maybe "firemag" or "roto-ray" might ..........

I had been previously led to believe that this was the same rig that is at Pennington Gap, VA, but after looking at pics of both, I now think they are two different rigs, but still from the same specs. The Pennington Gap rig has been identified as 80-1641, formerly serving the U.S. Navy at Portsmouth, VA. The Holly Grove rig is most likely 80-1639 that previously served the U.S. Navy at Norfolk, VA. Both were 1979 A80-WLR-100D's (100' rearmounts, diesel powered). Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[MikeMFD26]

[quote name='GA_Dave' post='94677' date='Apr 5 2007, 15:45 ']I had been previously led to believe that this was the same rig that is at Pennington Gap, VA, but after looking at pics of both, I now think they are two different rigs, but still from the same specs. The Pennington Gap rig has been identified as 80-1641, formerly serving the U.S. Navy at Portsmouth, VA. The Holly Grove rig is most likely 80-1639 that previously served the U.S. Navy at Norfolk, VA. Both were 1979 A80-WLR-100D's (100' rearmounts, diesel powered). Can anyone confirm or deny this?[/quote]





Dave,



If the Holly Grove rig is from the same spec order, it looks like sometime during her lifetime, the Maxim rear mount was replaced by an American LaFrance 100' ladder. Can anyone shed some light on this one?

[Guest]

The Pennington Gap rig has a repair over the front wheel well that isn't present on the Holly Grove rig. I doubt that a fire department that is most likely operating on a minimal apparatus budget would have made the cab repair and painted the rig from red back to that repulsive color. My vote is that the two rigs are not the same. You can see a photo of the Pennington Gap rig at: [url="http://www.youngstownfire.com/forums/index.php?topic=1400.45"]Ward LaFrance Apparatus - Youngstown Fire Forums[/url].

[John Kenealy]

Here's one I recently found in my collection, from Schenevus-Maryland Fire District in Otsego County NY. No info available from this parade shot.