Australian Ingenuity

[Tim Lovelock]

One for the boffins..................Perhaps I will await some responses before sharing what I know.............

[hrpearce]

Airport fire fighting system?

[Tim Lovelock]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Airport fire fighting system?

Right so far Robert...

[Wayne Henderson]

Doctor Who. Series 2, Attack of the Cybermen...?

[Keith Webb]

The devices on the front and rear were designed to bore through the skin of a crashed aircraft for crew rescue.

Obviously the speaker on the top would broadcast: "Danger Will Robinson!"

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Wayne Henderson

Doctor Who. Series 2, Attack of the Cybermen...?

Hehe nice one.

[Matt Austin]

Mr Whippy for tough neighbourhoods?

[Tim Lovelock]

Ha ha, I love the responses.
What I know.
Built in the early 1950's at Essendon Airport by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) workshops (obviously) as an airport fire appliance.
Apparently based on a 'White' truck chassis.
Keith you are quite correct the 'circular' saw at the front was intended to cut a hole in the aircraft fuselage allowing the occupants to escape and the aspestos curtains intended to protect occupants from any radiant heat.
Apparently the seat for the monitor operator was an old steel tractor seat.
The shielding is quite likely aluminium.
The kicker was that during trials the tyres caught fire and didn't progress beyond this single vehicle.
I've often wondered if it was a 'white' chassis, what type of truck was it in a former life. Any ideas?
I've got some other images of early DCA fire appliances at Essendon and Moorabbin (the later where I was once stationed), with some old blitzes I'll post in the near future. I hope this was of interest though not strictly military, it is where you can trace their roots. Cheers Tim

[Matt Austin]

I'd be very interested, Tim. I learned to fly at Moorabbin in the early nineties, not long after the fireys were removed.

Cheers,
Matt

[Allan L]

The 'thing' does have a military connection; although built to DCA specification, it was built for them by the Australian Army's Experimental & Proving Establishment. The story of the Monegeeta Monster, as it was known, can be found at the Airways Museum website (includes a link to some video of it being trialled):

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/ARFF%20...%20Monster.htm

[Keith Webb]

Thanks for the link Allan and welcome to MLU!

[Tim Lovelock]

Originally Posted by Allan L

The 'thing' does have a military connection; although built to DCA specification, it was built for them by the Australian Army's Experimental & Proving Establishment. The story of the Monegeeta Monster, as it was known, can be found at the Airways Museum website (includes a link to some video of it being trialled):

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/ARFF%20...%20Monster.htm

Thanks Allan,

What a great link and better explanation. The name Monegeeta Monster, now rings a bell from older colleagues I worked with. I'm glad there is a good history of a very wierd vehicle. Thanks Tim