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General => Report & Review => Topic started by: playmofire on February 15, 2010, 15:47:15

Title: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 15, 2010, 15:47:15
The new fire engines have arrived in the UK and I picked up a 4821 today from my local toyshop where they'd kindly put one on one side for me when the stock came in.  I'm pretty busy at the moment preparing a talk for next month, so I'm assembling the new buy a bit each day and taking photos for this review at the same time.  I'll be posting the review day by day, too, so if any comments are saved until it's complete that will be good.  I plan to do two other topics, one comparing the 4821 with the 3880 it replaces and the other looking at some simple customs that can be carried out on the 4821 largely by adding different bits and pieces.

So to start, the box pictures.  The box itself is large enough to take the fire engine when its all assembled which helps with storage later, and there is room in it for other fire accessories.  The box is the design where there is a lid hinged at the back of the box.

The front of the box is just a general picture of the fire engine, while the back shows the usual picture of the items in the set.

The pictures on the end of the box are just repeats of the front, but there are three detail pictures on the sides. 
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 15, 2010, 16:17:22
We start here with the third of the pictures on the side of the box and then show the contents of the box.  As you can see, there are a fair number of packets of bits and pieces and inside some of the larger packets are smaller packets with parts in.

The first job is to fit the tyres on to the wheels and then the wheels on to the stub axles.  The wheels have a moulding which I have noticed before where the wheels and tyres come separately which looks as if it were meant to represent where the tyre valve would project.  However, it is on the inside of the wheel!  It would be interesting to know what Playmobil had in mind when the wheels were designed with this on them.

The tyres are treaded and have the name Playmobil moulded on them together with the tyre size.  I'll check the dimensions to see if they refer to the actual model tyre.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Jimbo on February 15, 2010, 16:29:06
Wow!  Very impressive fire engine.

Thanks for the pictures, Playmofire

Best regards,
Jimbo
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 15, 2010, 16:41:01
The stub axles will only fit on the chassis one way and this is with a small "click" projection facing upwards (see picture).  This isn't clear from the instructions as the picture is too small to show the detail of the stub axle.

The chassis is a general purpose one as there are three possible points where the rear stub axles can be fitted.  In the case of the 4821, the stub axles fit in the middle of the three possible fixing points.

The last stage for today is fitting the chassis into the body.  This is designed for the rear to be positioned in place first and then the front just slips in place as the chassis unit is pressed down.

The 4821 uses the new RC system (I think it's new, Playmobil seem to have used at least three RC systems so far, this, I think, being the third).  The chassis is removed, the wheels taken off and fitted to the RC unit, and this is then slotted in in place of the chassis.  I've attached a scan of the instructions showing the assembled RC unit (the RC unit comes in four pieces which are fastened together with yellow System-X connectors).

Finally for today, there is a top view of the main body unit showing the rectangular space in the body which  is there for strengthening as the sides and ends act as trusses to support the top.   Tomorrow we should make more progress as it's just fitting equipment by and large from now on.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on February 15, 2010, 16:42:03
Thanks Gordon, looking forward to the rest of the review, sure does have a lot of parts!  :wave:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 15, 2010, 18:54:52
Great new set & review, Gordon! Thank you! Can you check & see if the new 4821 roof with lights would fit the retired 3880 engines with minimum modifications?
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 15, 2010, 18:57:30
Great new set & review, Gordon! Thank you! Can you check & see if the new 4821 roof with lights fit the retired 3880 engines with minimum modifications?

Something I've already started looking into, Bill.  The short answer is "No", but I'll expand further when I compare the 4821 and 3880 in a new topic.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Giorginetto on February 15, 2010, 19:10:14
Great set and review. Fire engines have come a looong way since the 3236 fire engine set ,  ;D ;D ;D. The detail is great in these fire engines and they look faboulus!!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 16, 2010, 12:39:34



I'll be posting the review day by day, too, so if any comments are saved until it's complete that will be good.



Hmmm ...  :hmm:

Doesn't seem like any of us have honored your request, Gordon ...  :-[



The 4821 uses the new RC system (I think it's new, Playmobil seem to have used at least three RC systems so far, this, I think, being the third).  The chassis is removed, the wheels taken off and fitted to the RC unit, and this is then slotted in in place of the chassis.  I've attached a scan of the instructions showing the assembled RC unit (the RC unit comes in four pieces which are fastened together with yellow System-X connectors).



Will you be fitting the 4821 fire engine with the new RC System, Gordon?
If so, please let us know how it works!

All the best,
Richard
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 12:51:55


Hmmm ...  :hmm:

Doesn't seem like any of us have honored your request, Gordon ...  :-[

No problem, Richard.   :)

Will you be fitting the 4821 fire engine with the new RC System, Gordon?
If so, please let us know how it works!

It's another £35 and I'm not sure I want to spend that much on something I may not use all that much. 

All the best,
Richard

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 16, 2010, 13:12:27



It's another £35 and I'm not sure I want to spend that much on something I may not use all that much. 



Hope you do decide to get it, Gordon.

Having a remote control vehicle would be really nice. Especially, as one gets older ...  :klickygrin:

The getting up and down isn't something that any of us probably thought very much about when we were kids ...  ;D

Would really like to see a good review of the new RC system in a vehicle the size of your new fire engine.

All the best,
Richard

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 20:27:37


Hope you do decide to get it, Gordon.

Having a remote control vehicle would be really nice. Especially, as one gets older ...  :klickygrin:

The getting up and down isn't something that any of us probably thought very much about when we were kids ...  ;D

Would really like to see a good review of the new RC system in a vehicle the size of your new fire engine.

All the best,
Richard



The problem is that at the moment I'm meant to be running down my stock of Playmobil so Diane doesn't even know that I've bought this yet!  I suppose that if I bought the RC unit I could always argue that the fire engine belonged to someone else and that it had strayed into our house by accident!  :lol:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 16, 2010, 20:31:34



The problem is that at the moment I'm meant to be running down my stock of Playmobil so Diane doesn't even know that I've bought this yet!  I suppose that if I bought the RC unit I could always argue that the fire engine belonged to someone else and that it had strayed into our house by accident!  :lol:



That would make a really great photo-story, Gordon! ...  :lol:

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 20:37:04


That would make a really great photo-story, Gordon! ...  :lol:



So would the follow up story of Diane using a 4821 as an offensive weapon!  :hissyfit:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 21:50:31
Well, here's today's addition, and we're looking at the assembly involved with the front and rear of the machine.  I'm not following the instruction order here for all parts  but rather trying to limit the number of photos and posts to a minimum.

There are quite a number of items to be fitted to the front of the machine and these are shown in the first two photos.  (In gathering the bits for the first photo, I missed the small blue lights which appear some way through the instruction booklet.)

The white piece in the first photo is a blanking piece which fits in the centre of the front bumper, allowing either the front number plate or the winch to be fitted to it.  The number plate is easily detachable but the winch is slightly more difficult to withstand the demands of winching cars out of ditches and the front crashing into furniture or other obstacles.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 22:09:10
The winch is the new design which I think was first introduced with the 4079 ADAC recovery truck (that was certainly the first occasion I came across it).  It's in three parts and, unlike the older design, doesn't have the plastic "wavy washer".  Instead, a peg on the winch shaft and indentations in the side of the winch frame mean that the winch can be locked at any point by pushing the winch shaft in.  To free the winch drum, the winch shaft is pulled out slightly.  The winch has a neat handle for operating it.  The winch is fitted to the front with two of red System-X connectors.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 22:17:53
Lastly on the front are the two repeater blue lights and the rear view mirrors.  The blue lights are very realistic clear blue plastic pieces (someone on klickywelt has already converted a 4821 to have these operating) while the rear view mirrors, although they capture the shape well are a bit of a disappointing on the actual mirror side as they are simply hollow.  It would have been nice if they had had the moulding for a silvered sticker to represent the reflective surface of the mirror.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 16, 2010, 23:04:57
The last set of posts for today looks at the rear of the fire engine. 

In the first picture, I have already fitted the pump unit and the suction hose connector.  The pump unit is the same as the one used on the portable pump introduced with the 3880 in 1996.  The suction connector is new to the 4821. By using the pump unit in this way, it means that the new fire engine has built-in pumping capacity using one or other of the Playmobil water units.

Two blue lights go on at roof level, again, very nice and neat mouldings and, again, already "electrified" on klickywelt.

The doors are straight in profile, unlike the ones on the 3880, but the access ladder is the same.  The "dimple" on the right hand door takes a yellow System-X connector onto which the hose reel unit from the 4825 accessory set fits.  I'll show this fitted later in the review.

Well, that's it for today.  Tomorrow we're probably going out so it will be Thursday before I can do any more photos; then it will be fitting the shutters to the sides and fitting internal equipment.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 17, 2010, 01:08:45


Gordon ...

Your excellent review shows that the 4821 Fire Engine is an exceptional model from Playmobil.
Looking at Geobra's attention to detail, and the number of pieces included with this set, made me curious about the price of this vehicle.

A quick look at PlaymobilUSA's website ... $49.99! WOW!
Fifty dollars is a lot of money! It was probably even more expensive in the UK!
(No wonder you were a bit concerned about Diane's reaction.) ...  :shhhh: ...  ;D

However, it seems to be very good value for what you get!

Looking forward to your next installment.

All the best,
Richard


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 17, 2010, 07:46:32

Gordon ...

Your excellent review shows that the 4821 Fire Engine is an exceptional model from Playmobil.
Looking at Geobra's attention to detail, and the number of pieces included with this set, made me curious about the price of this vehicle.

A quick look at PlaymobilUSA's website ... $49.99! WOW!
Fifty dollars is a lot of money! It was probably even more expensive in the UK!
(No wonder you were a bit concerned about Diane's reaction.) ...  :shhhh: ...  ;D

However, it seems to be very good value for what you get!

Looking forward to your next installment.

All the best,
Richard




Over here, Richard, it was £34.99 which at eBay rates works out at $55.17, so, yes, we do pay a bit more relatively (if that exchange rate gives an accurate reflection of things).  However, it's still better than the days when the US price was simply the UK price with a $ sign in front! 

I was thinking about its cost compared with the 3880 which was £24.99 in 1997 when it appeared over here.  So that's a rise of £11 in 12 years which doesn't look too bad and works out at 3.7% a year (about the latest UK figures for inflation), if my maths is right.  And it's certainly a bigger and more detailed model than the 3880, excellent though the 3880 was with those roller shutter doors.

The turntable ladder is £39.99 which compares very well with the £49.99 which the 3182 was selling for (and still is where they are in stock) last year.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 17, 2010, 16:43:25
Well, Diane slipped out to see a neighbour so I've been able to take a set of photos showing the assembly involved in the sides, the lift-up shutters, a fold-down step and, for the right-hand side, the RC aerial.  As the RC aerial is the only difference between the two sides, I've concentrated on the right-hand side only.

The first photo shows the parts involved.  The shutters are two different widths, the front and rear ones being narrower than the centre one, something often found on fire egines.  The RC aerial is in two sections, a narrow tube and a detachable tip.  Presumably as the tube is just that, a tube, the receiver element is in the tip.

The shutters fit on easily if you offer them up in the closed position and then just push them firmly home.  They open and close with a satisfying click so there's no risk of them flying open as the vehicle corners and equipment flying out (it happens!).  The step, the red piece in the first picture, fits at the bottom of the forward locker.  This is a common feature on German fire engines and is also appearing more in the UK.

The shutters click into a locked position before reaching the vertical, although they can be pushed up to be vertical.  However, they look much better open at an angle.  The step folds down to allow access to the lowest slide out equipment tray and to make the higher equipment trays more accessible. 

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 17, 2010, 16:47:47
The RC aerial fits into a hole at the bottom of a channel between the rear bodywork and the rear of the cab.  Having the aerial in place even if RC is not being used isn't a problem as it doesn't look out of place.

A possible alternative use for the channel would be to take the lighting mast as the channel is large enough to do so and the mast could just slip over a piece of suitably sized plastic rod pushed into the hole for the aerial.  This would free up space on the roof for a ladder.

Tomorrow I'll be showing the items which go on the roof and fitting out the interior and, if time permits, looking at the equipment which comes with the set.

PS:  I forgot to show and fit the wheel covers; I'll do that for the next photo session.  They are the standard design used with other modern vehicles.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 17, 2010, 16:49:09


Well, Diane slipped out to see a neighbour ...



Gotta love those neighbours ...  ;D :lol:

That's a really cool fire engine, Gordon.

Thanks for a splendid review! (Kinda makes me wanna go get one!)

All the best,
Richard


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 17, 2010, 17:59:38
Me too, but I'm needing 4  :-[!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 17, 2010, 18:09:00



Me too, but I'm needing 4  :-[!



Got any neighbors, Bill? ...  ;D

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 17, 2010, 20:07:34
Got any neighbors, Bill? ...  ;D

Oh yeah! But none as crazy as me about Playmobil  ;)!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 17, 2010, 20:29:30




Oh yeah! But none as crazy as me about Playmobil  ;)!




No, no ...  :no: :no:

Neighbors that your wife can go visit (like Gordon's) while you 'smuggle" you four fire engines into the house ...  ;D

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 17, 2010, 22:13:13


No, no ...  :no: :no:

Neighbors that your wife can go visit (like Gordon's) while you 'smuggle" you four fire engines into the house ...  ;D

Oh, I see the method of your madness  ;)! I get the look :omg: just about everyday when USPS, UPS, or Fed Dex shows up at our door, & the words uttered "now what did you get?" "Don't you already have one of those?" :hmm:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Elric on February 17, 2010, 22:42:58
Oh, I see the method of your madness  ;)! I get the look :omg: just about everyday when USPS, UPS, or Fed Dex shows up at our door, & the words uttered "now what did you get?" "Don't you already have one of those?" :hmm:

Here lately I have had alot of playmobil shipments at the house.  I ordered the wife some roses the other day and had them delivered to her.  When they came, she didn't even answer the door because she thought it was playmobil stuff.   :lol:

Great review! 

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Rasputin on February 17, 2010, 23:17:34
Oh, I see the method of your madness  ;)! I get the look :omg: just about everyday when USPS, UPS, or Fed Dex shows up at our door, & the words uttered "now what did you get?" "Don't you already have one of those?" :hmm:

Hi Bill

My USPS post man is staring to think something is fishy :hmm: I am home a lot. I always come running when he honks ( we have a large locked gate and I need to greet him or else he takes it to the warehouse ). He almost always asks if anything is broken due to all the rattling going on inside  ;D . I just grab the box and go running away yelling "Thankssss!"  :lol: My wife watches from her office widow as I run around  ::) .

Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Rasputin on February 17, 2010, 23:20:55
Hi Gordon

I have been holding off making any comments due to your request  ;D I see many just could not contain themselfs and I certainly see why. This is a great looking fire truck and I do look forward to getting one new and as many as  possible used for years to come. I have all kinds of ideas for that chassis. I like all the features you clarified in your informative review.

Thanks for taking the secret time to do this  :wow:
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on February 18, 2010, 02:20:00
I get the look :omg: just about everyday when USPS, UPS, or Fed Dex shows up at our door, & the words uttered "now what did you get?" "Don't you already have one of those?" :hmm:

I think we can all relate to that!  :lol: :lol:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on February 18, 2010, 02:21:53
He almost always asks if anything is broken due to all the rattling going on inside  ;D . I just grab the box and go running away yelling "Thankssss!" 
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"

I hope you don't go hopping back to your office going "My preciousss! We knows what it is doesn't we!"  :lol: :lol: :lol:


Gepetto
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Richard on February 18, 2010, 02:49:50



Hi Gordon

I have been holding off making any comments due to your request ...


Rasputin "The Mad Monk"


Oh, yes, Ras ... you're so good ...  0)

Gordon surely must like you the best ...  :P

Actually, I beat you to it ...  ;D



Hmmm
...  :hmm:

Doesn't seem like any of us have honored your request, Gordon ...  :-[



Gordon probably likes me the best ...  :P


However, as you so aptly said, Ras ...



It is great to be part of such a silly forum. The world is so serious as it is and "you people" are just silly fun :cham:.



Apologies, Gordon ...  :-[

Looking forward to the conclusion of your wonderful review of the 4821 Fire Engine!

All the best,
Richard (the clown)


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: WarriorOfToys on February 18, 2010, 03:19:05
Hello,
I think the fire truck is amazing!!!
It is not my area of collecting, but I can appreciate it all the same as it really is a sight to look at!

I get "the look" all the time too!  :lol:
And the unavoidable question "Dont you have one already?" (Mostly for my romans...  :P)
Can't wait to see more pics!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Rasputin on February 18, 2010, 04:02:48


Oh, yes, Ras ... you're so good ...  0)


Hi Richard

Yes I was the youngest of 3 boys so you can only imagine how "good" I was  >:D

Apologies, Gordon ...  :-[

Looking forward to the conclusion of your wonderful review of the 4821 Fire Engine!

All the best,
Richard (the clown)


I just find these reviews so informative and revealing not only how great these toys are designed but also how much I am addicted to collecting them :-[ Thanks Gordon :wow:

Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 18, 2010, 20:58:40
I'm looking at the top of the fire engine and the interior fittings today, plus some detail points.

Starting with the top, as you can see in the first photo there are a good number of bits to assemble.  The white chequer plate top is disappointing as a metaillic grey finish as on the wheels would have been more realistic and looked better.  Maybe there is a problem with metallic finishes over large areas as, although the wheels on this model are very good, a ladder supposedly with a metallic finsh I got from DS some time ago looked more like the sort of sparkly finish you sometimes see on party dresses!  (A photo of a wheel is attached to show the high standard of the metallic finish.)

The lighting unit uses the same framework as that on the mechanic's rally trailer, although the working lighting unit can be fitted instead.  On the white top plate, the rearmost System-X hole takes the base of the lighting unit extension poles when the unit is in use, and the larger circular shape to the right of this takes the lighting unit head when it is not in use.

The water monitor is partly new, the "business end" being the same as that on the 3880, but the mounting is anew style incorporating System-X parts which allow the monitor to be lowered flat on to the roof when not in use.  (See the overhead view.)

The last photo shows the lighting unit erected and the water monitor in use.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 18, 2010, 21:14:29
The roof for the cab is a welcome development.  The same roof is used for both the pump and the turntable ladder, which is reasonable enough.  In fact, the channel in the centre of the cab roof where the extending ladder rests on the TL is needed when mouting a ladder on the pump.  The cab roof on this example had two pale red scuffs on it behind the blue lights, presumably from movement in the box after packing.  Gently rubbing with T-Cut got rid of these.

Turning to the interior fittings, there are four slide-out trays and two hose reels.  However, there is only one hose, which seems a bit odd.  Presumably, the need to keep costs down is pressing.  The hose reel holders go in the centre topmost space and are held in place by yellow System-X connectors, hence the System-X holes in that compartment.  Beware, the order in which you fit things here is important.  Fit the yellow connectors in place first, then fit the hose reels to the hose reel holders and then fit these to the yellow connectors.  If you fit the holder first and then try and fit the hose reel, you can't do it.  Whether you fit the hose before or after doesn't matter, but I found it easier to fit the hose last.  The hose is the new, semi-translucent sort which first appeared with the firefighter carry case.

The hose reel itself is the new style with only four depressions, rather than the early style with numerous depressions representing where the hose reel is drilled out for lightness.  (The new style is on the left in the third picture and the original is on the right.)  I find that the hose reels out much more easily with the old style reel and so I've fitted these in place of those supplied.

Why they chose yellow for the hose reel holders I can't imagine.  Why not grey or black, or even stay with red?  I've fitted red hose reel holders in place of the yellow ones. 

The placing of the hose reels is a weak point of design.  They would more realistically be place at the bottom of the rear compartment, but I suppose the need for those strengthening trusses in the top middle meant that you couldn't have a slide-out there so realism was compromised for strength and to maximise storage capacity.

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 18, 2010, 21:26:38
The last post for today looks at the cab interior and some detail points.

The cab is nicely presented with a nicely detailed dashboard.  The fire extinguisher holder is back having vanished from the 3880 cab round about 1999.  Notice that the design of the gear lever shows that this is an automatic gearbox model.

The headlight cluster is a superb piece of injection moulding and though the stickers for the rear lights are well done it would be nice to have plastic rear lights in the future which the owner could press in place, as with the small front-mounted blue lights.

Tomorrow, it's a look at the equipment which comes with the pump.  Some of this has been looked at in detail in another topic, so rather than repeating myself, I'll put a link in to the original topic.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 21, 2010, 11:15:31
Great new set & review, Gordon! Thank you! Can you check & see if the new 4821 roof with lights would fit the retired 3880 engines with minimum modifications?


Something I've already started looking into, Bill.  The short answer is "No", but I'll expand further when I compare the 4821 and 3880 in a new topic.

We were very busy Friday and Saturday and so I didn't have the chance to take the next lot of photos and today it's snowing so the light isn't good.  However, I did manage to provide the answer to Bill's question with a quick bit of not too careful cutting on a spare 3880 cab.  The 4821 roof does fit with a bit of modification to the 3880 cab.  For a really neat job a bit of sanding is needed, but the two photos below show things well enough.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: baden-wurttemberg on February 21, 2010, 18:12:31
Thats a great review of 4821 fire engine Gordon.  :clap: Thanks for sharing with us!  :)







B-W
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: skypurr on February 22, 2010, 01:51:47
This is a very thorough review Gordon,  :wow: I must admit that I have never had a fire engine or other large vehicle from new and didn't realise how many pieces they have and how complicated putting it together was.  Thank you for showing us.
I am intrigued as to how you have managed to keep it all a secret!  ::)

Elaine
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on February 22, 2010, 14:45:53
Thats a great review of 4821 fire engine Gordon.  :clap: Thanks for sharing with us!  :)

B-W

Thank you B-W.


This is a very thorough review Gordon,  :wow: I must admit that I have never had a fire engine or other large vehicle from new and didn't realise how many pieces they have and how complicated putting it together was.  Thank you for showing us.
I am intrigued as to how you have managed to keep it all a secret!  ::)

Elaine

Thank you, Elaine.  It's certainly the most complicated vehicle, other than a pirate ship, I have come across.  The 3880 fire engine it replaces had only a dozen or so parts to put together and assemble.  And I still have to show the equipment that comes with it, once time and the light permit.

How did I keep it hidden?  Well, Diane was out a lot last week which is unusual.  I would have got the other photos done except that on Friday I had to go out with her.  Actually, each photo session lasted well unde an hour.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 01, 2010, 19:38:04
Well, later than planned folks I'm continuing this review and then looking at some optional ways of setting the 4821 up.

First, something I forgot to mention earlier.  There is a slot for the two-way radio between the seats in the cab; this can be seen in the photo "automatic gear level"   (which should, of course, eb automatic gear lever!). 

Second, a view of the rear compartment showing the pump and its surround.  This is simpler than that of the 3880 but accurately reflects changes in the 13 years since the 3880 came out as more and more equipment has been automated in its operation.  A new addition is the introduction of two generator outlets which can be seen on the left.  The pump is the same as the introduced with the 3880, but there is an additional inlet below the pump itself for the new suction hose.  (I haven't taken a photo of this but there is one here in a topic of noodwachter72's which shows the new suction hose in use:

http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=3728.0

The second photo shows the range of accessories which come with the new fire engine.  The new rescue gear and hose are reviewed here:

http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=3480.msg41329#msg41329

and here

http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=3568.15

I'm not happy with the blue broom, shovel and pickaxe, so these will be replaced by the grey versions.  The new style fire axes here are red but in other sets are silver.  Both look OK, but I may just add a touch of silver to the red versions to highlight the axe blade and the point on the back.  The petrol can is the first use of a new version which comes with a detachable cap which can be reversed to act as a pourer.

There is only one crew member and this is a disappointment as the 4820 has a crew of two and the 3880 which the 4821 replaces came with a crew of two.  I assume that keeping the price down is the cause of this.  However, set 4825 can provide an extra crew member and some other useful accessories (see below).  The figure has a belt which will take a range of accessories, e.g. the small fire axe, the Maglight torch.  The uniform printing is quite complex and on the left stripe on the back of the figure in my set is faulty - the yellow has not completely covered the white under stripe.  However, this can easily be covered with a BA set.  The figure has detachable work glover so that the hands are moulded in flesh pink.


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 01, 2010, 19:51:31
One thing I haven't mentioned are the stickers which come with the set.  These are very comprehensive although I have just left them on and stayed with the printed 112 telephone number.

I mentioned set 4825, so here is a bit about that and how it can be used with the 4821.

The box front and back first of all.  I haven't got the actual box to hand at the moment, so these are taken from playmoDB.

(http://www.playmodb.org/setpics/4825.jpg)

(http://playmodb.org//backs/4825_back.jpg)

This set provides the following amongst other bit and pieces:

extra crew member;

hose ramps (to protect hoses laid across a roadway from being crushed by vehicles driving over them);

hydrant stand pipe and hydrant key;

additonal hose connectors and a container for storing them;

a warning sign;

a ground monitor;

grass fire beater;

an extra hose reel.

In addition, I've added other items, notably a portable pump, a smoke ventilator, an extra container to take hoseconnections, a sack of granules for dealing with fluid spills at road traffic incidents, an extra beater, extra hose branches and two foam branches, a crowbar, forcilble entry equipment, some chocks for stabilising crashed vehicles and small hand tools, all of which can be fitted inside the 4821.
 


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 01, 2010, 20:15:44
The first two photos show how the extra equipment fits in with the portable pump, the smoke extractor unit and the two containers taking up the spare compartment.  The smoke extractor is in the middle of the compartment and cannot be seen.  The other extra items are fitted in to the four slide out trays, with the exception of the ceiling hook which goes on the top.

A problem for anyone wanting to carry ladders on the new fire engine is that if these are carried, then the water monitor and lighting unit must be removed, which is a bit annoying.  However, the lighting unit and mast can be fitted to the rear door.  (I've reduced the lighting unit to two lamps as this looks better and is more realistic.)
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 01, 2010, 21:34:56
We'll end with a photo of the fire engine in "Continental" mode, as it were, with the detachable hose reel fitted and looking, in my opinion, very much like the real thing.  I've never come across this ste up of hose reels in the UK and I can't recall seeing a USA fire engine with this arrangement and that's why I call it "Continental" mode.  I've seen photos of both French and German fire engines with one or two hose reels mounted at the rear and I believe that this is used where the fire engine is not fitted with a water tank and so relies on the mains hydrant for this. 

I've made this an extensive review of the 4821 as when it first appeared I was very critical of it because of the lift-up compartment covers and I said I wouldn't buy one.  Having bought one, I have to reverse my opinion - it is a very good model of a fire engine, probably Playmobil's best in some ways.  The lack of the working roller shutters of the 3880 is a pity, but I can see that for this system to have been used and offered the level of storage space that the 4821 does, the finished item would have had to be bigger both in height and width, more complicated to make and assemble and certainly more expensive andm maybe out of scale.  I would have liked a proper system for storing the ladders on the roof, but maybe that will come in an accessory set in 2011 or 2012 (after all, the 3880 in a later re-incarnation was given this feature).  I could do without the blue printed area on the sides to the rear of the cab as that seems to be a purely German livery feature and could surely have been dealt with through the use of stickers.  Printed on, it can probably be dealt with by rubbing/polishing it off, but that would take a lot of work and may end up in damaging the finish; maybe the answer is to produce my own stickers in red if I feel it important enough.  The fact that there is only one crew member and one reel of hose for two hose reel point towards attempts to keep costs and price down which is understandable in the present time.  But overall, I give a big vote in favour.  The question now is - how do I smuggle in another 2 4821s plus the new turntable ladder, 4820?

Oh, and for those interested it represents a Scania with Rosenbauer bodywork, a strange choice as I would have expected Playmobil to choose a German vehicle manufacturer, maybe MAN.

And about those lift-up shutters, there's always the mystery Greek fire engine attached which seems to use just such a system.


Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: WarriorOfToys on March 01, 2010, 23:47:49
Quote
The question now is - how do I smuggle in another 2 4821s plus the new turntable ladder, 4820?

Simple!
You send them to your work adress and come home early when you know your wife is away.
Then you can hide them and work on them as you wish!

Great reveiw btw!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on March 02, 2010, 00:00:03
  The question now is - how do I smuggle in another 2 4821s plus the new turntable ladder, 4820?

Let me know your proven plan when you develop it! I'm going to need 4x4821's & 4x4820's, & it's going to be difficult to hide that many  :lol:!
Thanks for the terrific review that has determined my resolve to get 8 new future vehicles  :)9!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on March 02, 2010, 01:04:28
Excellent review Gordon, I wish I could organize my things half as well as you do the equipment on your trucks!!  :wow: I am sure many of us are waiting to see how you do, sneaking in a few more trucks so we can try the same thing!  :lol:



Gepetto
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 02, 2010, 07:24:23
Simple!
You send them to your work adress and come home early when you know your wife is away.
Then you can hide them and work on them as you wish!

Great reveiw btw!

Once it would have worked, but now I'm retired.

(After I retired, Diane continued to work for a few years, so I just had stuff delivered here or went shopping while she was at work.)

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: noodwachter72 on March 02, 2010, 08:28:44
great review Gordon

watt kind of connector zit er on the back door for the light giraffe ???

Groet Peter
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 02, 2010, 17:15:15
Let me know your proven plan when you develop it! I'm going to need 4x4821's & 4x4820's, & it's going to be difficult to hide that many  :lol:!
Thanks for the terrific review that has determined my resolve to get 8 new future vehicles  :)9!

Here's the plan, Bill. I buy 5 4820s and 6 4821s.  I tell Diane that they are all for you and I am posting them to you individually because of weight restrictions.  I do this, but only post you 4 of each, keeping the others for myself.  I mark the boxes  saying they are books on astronomy or some topic which interests you, and you then just take them in from the postman.   :)
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 02, 2010, 17:18:28
great review Gordon

watt kind of connector zit er on the back door for the light giraffe ???

Groet Peter

It's this one, Peter,

http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30-20-2912
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on March 02, 2010, 17:19:29
Well i am sure Diane would believe they are all for Bill!  :lol:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on March 02, 2010, 19:28:58
Here's the plan, Bill. I buy 5 4820s and 6 4821s.  I tell Diane that they are all for you and I am posting them to you individually because of weight restrictions.  I do this, but only post you 4 of each, keeping the others for myself.  I mark the boxes  saying they are books on astronomy or some topic which interests you, and you then just take them in from the postman.   :)

Sounds good to me  :)9! There's only one problem,....I don't think my wife will believe me when I tell her they're books in that large of a quantity  ;)!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on March 02, 2010, 22:48:42
Tell her they are books on tape!  :lol:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on March 02, 2010, 23:02:15
Tell her they are books on tape!  :lol:

WOW! That's goin' ta be alot of tapes ta listen to  :o! Next question,...what if she asks how many books I'm going to get, & when am I going to listen to them, remember that I'm getting 8 fire trucks...... :hmm:?
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: skypurr on March 02, 2010, 23:34:09
(After I retired, Diane continued to work for a few years, so I just had stuff delivered here or went shopping while she was at work.)
I can sympathise with this, Sandy works at the museum during the tourist season but is at home all day from November to the beginning of April. 
I have two sheriffs offices on the way - he knows about one which isn't complete and I got it quite cheaply, but not the other , so I've got to find a way to get to the postvan before Sandy does, unfortunately the dog barks when the postman comes which sort of gives it away!
I have a dragon temple on the way for Junior too, luckily I've been selling unwanted knex and bionicle toys on ebay so I've been able to justify buying Playmobil for him because it's really his money - or so I tell sandy!  ;D
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 03, 2010, 19:53:01
WOW! That's goin' ta be alot of tapes ta listen to  :o! Next question,...what if she asks how many books I'm going to get, & when am I going to listen to them, remember that I'm getting 8 fire trucks...... :hmm:?
Good point, Bill.  Try this.  First part of plan as before but you tell your wife the 4820s and 4821s are for you to send to me.  One by one (or two by two) you take them down to the post office, wrapped up with my address on, and return apparently without them.  (They are actually hidden in the car trunk for you to smuggle inside.)  In due course, I email you acknowledging that thye've arrived.   ;D
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: WarriorOfToys on March 03, 2010, 21:20:22
Good point, Bill.  Try this.  First part of plan as before but you tell your wife the 4820s and 4821s are for you to send to me.  One by one (or two by two) you take them down to the post office, wrapped up with my address on, and return apparently without them.  (They are actually hidden in the car trunk for you to smuggle inside.)  In due course, I email you acknowledging that thye've arrived.   ;D

These plans just get more and more complex! :lol:
Thoguh I love listening to them! ;D Maybe if they work for they they will work for me! :hmm:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on March 03, 2010, 21:25:04
Good point, Bill.  Try this.  First part of plan as before but you tell your wife the 4820s and 4821s are for you to send to me.  One by one (or two by two) you take them down to the post office, wrapped up with my address on, and return apparently without them.  (They are actually hidden in the car trunk for you to smuggle inside.)  In due course, I email you acknowledging that they've arrived.   ;D

I think you have a winning idea Gordon ;D! I'll give you fore warning when I need to enact your plan :)9! I may also need to enact a similar plan immediately for my extensive new construction theme, jumbo jets, & nautical exploration theme, acquisitions that I'm working on currently ;)!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: flatcat on March 27, 2010, 12:14:04
Thanks for the great review Gordon  :wave:

I liked the look of the set so much that I have just been out this morning and bought one and a  4825 also :cloud9:

On the way back from town, we passed our local firestation and they were having a charity car wash, and they were using a Scania pumper (sought of like this one) to provide the water, and washing the cars was a large turntable ladder engine (pretty much identical to the 4820) which had it's ladder extended, and was blasting the water out of it's monitor mounted on the basket bit at the end of the ladder.

I have never seen an engine like this in real life before, and I would have just loved to get a picture of it, but I didn't have the camera on me, and we didn't even get the car washed as it was pouring with rain :(
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Wolf Knight on March 27, 2010, 18:58:45
I was never a fun of the playmobil fire department but this review made me go back in time and realise that my first ever playmobil set was the 3236 fire truck!!!
More over, this trully lovely and detailed review placed me in the soft spot of flerting with the idea of adding this set in my collection!!! Unfortunately these sets have not yet arrived in Greece so i went ebaying and got myself a 3525!

Many thanks for this lovely and inspiring review Gordon!!!!

Cheers,
Panos
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 27, 2010, 20:51:47
I was never a fun of the playmobil fire department but this review made me go back in time and realise that my first ever playmobil set was the 3236 fire truck!!!
More over, this trully lovely and detailed review placed me in the soft spot of flerting with the idea of adding this set in my collection!!! Unfortunately these sets have not yet arrived in Greece so i went ebaying and got myself a 3525!

Many thanks for this lovely and inspiring review Gordon!!!!

Cheers,
Panos

Thank you for your kind words, Panos, and I'm glad to have made a convert to Playmobil fire and rescue.    :)
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 27, 2010, 20:54:19
Thanks for the great review Gordon  :wave:

I liked the look of the set so much that I have just been out this morning and bought one and a  4825 also :cloud9:

On the way back from town, we passed our local firestation and they were having a charity car wash, and they were using a Scania pumper (sought of like this one) to provide the water, and washing the cars was a large turntable ladder engine (pretty much identical to the 4820) which had it's ladder extended, and was blasting the water out of it's monitor mounted on the basket bit at the end of the ladder.

I have never seen an engine like this in real life before, and I would have just loved to get a picture of it, but I didn't have the camera on me, and we didn't even get the car washed as it was pouring with rain :(

I hope that they weren't using the monitor at fUll pressure1

Never seen a turntable ladder!  You've had/are having a deprived childhood!   :lol:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: flatcat on March 27, 2010, 21:00:40
I hope that they weren't using the monitor at fUll pressure1

Never seen a turntable ladder!  You've had/are having a deprived childhood!   :lol:

Nope, never seen one :D but it was quite a magnificent sight, and Gordon, you have converted me to fire/rescue - to the extent that I will hopefully be selling all my western to fund lot's of new engines.
(but not as many as Bill has of his 3880's 8})
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 27, 2010, 21:07:02
Nope, never seen one :D but it was quite a magnificent sight,

I think there are one or two photos on my website (under the incidents button) of turntable ladders in action.  Unfortunately, most of my photos are in store at the moment so my website hasn't been updated for over a year.  You can find it at www.playmofire.eu

 and Gordon, you have converted me to fire/rescue - to the extent that I will hopefully be selling all my western to fund lot's of new engines.


Another success!   ;D  If you'd like a 3880 which has workoing roller shutters,, and everyone brigade should have one, let me know as I may have some to dispose of sometime soon.

(but not as many as Bill has of his 3880's 8})

Another success!   ;D  If you'd like a 3880, and everyone brigade should have one, let me know as I may have some to dispose of sometime soon.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: flatcat on March 27, 2010, 21:16:34
Another success!   ;D  If you'd like a 3880, and everyone brigade should have one, let me know as I may have some to dispose of sometime soon.

I have got one thanks,  but it is missing it's flashing light unit. I don't really want anymore than my one though as these new ones are much better ;) There's probably going to be a mass flood of old 3880's and 3182's now on ebay :D
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 27, 2010, 21:28:34
I have got one thanks,  but it is missing it's flashing light unit. I don't really want anymore than my one though as these new ones are much better ;) There's probably going to be a mass flood of old 3880's and 3182's now on ebay :D

You can still get replacement units from DS.
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: flatcat on March 27, 2010, 21:34:40
You can still get replacement units from DS.

Ooo, I never bothered trying because I didn't think they would still have them, or if they did they would be expencive. But now I've got my new engine I probably won't bother with it and it can just be a reserve unit ;)
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 28, 2010, 08:18:47
I posted this in the wrong topic so I've moved it here:

Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: flatcat on March 28, 2010, 08:24:19
What an impressive fleet of fire engines, but what a tragic incident :'(

I do love that turntable ladder though :inlove:
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: playmofire on March 28, 2010, 08:40:38
I got confused and this post was unnecessary!
Title: Re: 4821 fire engine
Post by: Gepetto on April 06, 2010, 02:18:13
I got confused and this post was unnecessary!

Steady there Gordon, I know that Fire and Rescue can be heady stuff!  :lol: Your review was excellent as usual, I know because it had me casting covetous glances at fire trucks!  8} Thank you for taking the time to create and post these reviews for us! :wave:



Gepetto