Austin K6 Fire Engine

[Larry Hayward]

Can anyone confirm if the Austin K6 fire engine in the attached photo is actually a post war product. I have never seen any photos of this type in WW2 or even postwar - hence the photo of a model.

As you may know a kit of this was made by Airfix, at least since the 1970's and suggested an overall gloss red scheme and more recently a firm in Germany has made one in 1/43 scale this time with RAF blue as the suggested colour both of which suggest postwar usage.

A question for Les I think!

Thanks in advance

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

According to my somewhat limited library, the K6 RAF Fire-Crash tender was ordered late in the war, but not delivered until after, about 1946.
So I guess its up to where you draw the line....
Rich.

[Larry Hayward]

Thanks for that.

No doubt numbers were limited too out of the 13,700 odd K6s

Strange that no photos are available of the type though!

[ted angus]

The vehicle depicted in the picture is an Austin K6 1945 monitor type made by Airfoam Ltd during 1945/6 ---- BUT for the RAF and RN it was ONLY mounted on a Fordson WOT1/1A chassis ; On the Austin chassis it was Only ordered by the Min of Civil aviation. The Airfix kit is wrong in all respects the K2 ambulance was not a standard RAF UK airfield type during WW2 .
The Airfix fire engine was based on a surviving example when it was first made in the mid 1970s, Airfix were told at the time of their error right down to reproducing its civil reg number. You can lead a horse to water --several other manfacturers have continued the Airfix mistake !!!
In 1946 the RAF did receive a fire tender on trhe Austin K6 chassis but it was a CO2 tender built by SUN-Kidde and bore no resemblance to the 1945 monitor type in the picture at post 1.
TED ANGUS

[Larry Hayward]

Thanks Ted

No wonder there are no photos then.

Incidentally as for the colour scheme I'm sure you agree that gloss red as shown in the Airfix kit is not correct for WW2 and probably not even correct for immediate postwar use either.

Would a RAF Fire Engine have been RAF blue with black mudguards in 1946?

I suspect gloss red colour on RAF fire Engines was introduced in the late 1950s.

[chalky]

Amazing , feel like I've been conned by Airfix for 5 decades !

[ted angus]

Originally Posted by Larry Hayward

Thanks Ted

No wonder there are no photos then.

Incidentally as for the colour scheme I'm sure you agree that gloss red as shown in the Airfix kit is not correct for WW2 and probably not even correct for immediate postwar use either.

Would a RAF Fire Engine have been RAF blue with black mudguards in 1946?

I suspect gloss red colour on RAF fire Engines was introduced in the late 1950s.

During WW2 they were camo relevant to the theatre of Ops plus scheme in use at the time. - then in april 46 semi gloss RAF blue grey with black wings etc june 49 gloss RAF blue grey with black wings. october 49 BS 537 signal red intro for all fire tenders. photo evidence that many units kept the black wings after going over to red. The dates I give are from Air ministry Orders but bear in mind change of colour was often notified to units possibly 3 months by letter or signal before the AMO dates I quoted and repaints then undertaken over a protracted period.

TED

[Les Freathy]

Well said Ted saved me a job, For modellers the only useful part of the airfix K6 is the cab and chassis
cheers
Les

[cliff]

what scale is the airfix kit?

[ted angus]

It is currently labeled 1/76th, but originaly it was stated as 00/H0 1/72 now what a contradiction in terms that is. I have several refuelling sets in my stash the most recent are 1/76th older ones are 1/72 but in the box they are the same. !!!!!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Proper RAF fire tender, ca. 1941

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787...9320/lightbox/

[ted angus]

Ah yes the Crossley
Thanks TED