PlaymoFriends
Creative => Story-Telling => Topic started by: Bill Blackhurst on October 21, 2008, 18:09:41
-
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7130/pict0003by7.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0003by7.jpg)
TV crews filming Playmobil City Fire Department attacking the large brush fire.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9229/pict0004xi7.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0004xi7.jpg)
Firefighting crews cutting debris to gain access.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7939/pict0005cd8.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0005cd8.jpg)
Unit B3 in position with new water tank trailer.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/5470/pict0009ae5.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0009ae5.jpg)
A close up of Unit B1 with deployed equipment working on the scene.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1569/pict0006cv5.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0006cv5.jpg)
B2 refilling water tanks from water tanker T1.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1301/pict0007rm6.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0007rm6.jpg)
B2 & T1 on the job.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3011/pict0001lw5.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0001lw5.jpg)
Close up of T1.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1050/pict0012nh2.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0012nh2.jpg)
Firefighting crews cutting dead trees to clear a fire break.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/5334/pict0008jd7.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0008jd7.jpg)
Still cutting.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/4851/pict0010oq3.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0010oq3.jpg)
Crew on B2 listening to radio traffic.
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/781/pict0011oj6.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0011oj6.jpg)
Timber cutter confirming crews position.
-
Bill, that is fantastic!! Those photos really make the story pop, I especially like those helicopters with the water buckets. This was definitely worth the learning curve! Thanks for putting this together and sharing it with us.
Gepetto
-
Hey, what a cool setup 8-)
Very nicely assembled items. And especially some items I have never seen before: where is this white helicopter from and especially the white "air-barrel" for transportation of large amounts of water (in forest fire fighting)?
-
Bill, that is fantastic!! Those photos really make the story pop, I especially like those helicopters with the water buckets. This was definitely worth the learning curve! Thanks for putting this together and sharing it with us.
Gepetto
Thank you Gepetto! I truly appreciate you positive review! I enjoy this forum very much because even though not everyone is into the modern themes like me, they still appreciate others efforts ;D!
-
Hey, what a cool setup 8-)
Very nicely assembled items. And especially some items I have never seen before: where is this white helicopter from and especially the white "air-barrel" for transportation of large amounts of water (in forest fire fighting)?
Thank you Little Jo! I didn't originally plan for the helicopters to interface with the scene but it has blended well together! Now for the answers to your questions. The white helicopter is set #3789. It was an early Fire department/medevac helicopter. It came with the medical accessories, water tank, net with red fuel drums, & 4 crew members. I fell in love with it when I saw it in one of the product catalogs, but it had long retired! But thanks to Ebay I found 6 ranging from MIB to refurbishable. The solid white water tank attached to the red #5704 helicopter was an accessory add on #7189 that came with the tank, harness, & transport net. If you get a chance check out my newest album here to see all 14 jet liners, airplanes, & helicopters suspended from my office ceiling!
-
great pictures and set up . From what i remember Bill you were or are a fireman . I think one thing a fireman needs is a fire :P I really like your use of different themes to fill in you fire equipment . Have you ever thought about getting a bulldozer and making it look like the forester's D6's . One thing we always had on control burns is some heavy iron .
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4127/hetarsenal3dp6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Thanks for sharing your rescue story and pictures :)9
-
A great photostory, Bill, and excellent photos, while the commentary with each picture nicely finishes everything off.
I particularly like the white tanker with the red striping - a very effective and smart livery. Until the early 1990s, the Isle of Wight fire brigade had a livery of white with a broad red waist stripe which looked equally smart, but had to switch to red as for England and Wales red is the required colour for front line appliances (no particular red, just red). In Scotland, where the fire brigade comes under a different authority, other colours are allowed and Strathclyde fire brigade use white.
(The bit about the Isle of Wight, together with a comment on Bill's story, I can remember writing yesterday, but apparently I never posted it! Old age is rushing on! 8})
-
A great photostory, Bill, and excellent photos, while the commentary with each picture nicely finishes everything off.
I particularly like the white tanker with the red striping - a very effective and smart livery. Until the early 1990s, the Isle of Wight fire brigade had a livery of white with a broad red waist stripe which looked equally smart, but had to switch to red as for England and Wales red is the required colour for front line appliances (no particular red, just red). In Scotland, where the fire brigade comes under a different authority, other colours are allowed and Strathclyde fire brigade use white.
(The bit about the Isle of Wight, together with a comment on Bill's story, I can remember writing yesterday, but apparently I never posted it! Old age is rushing on! 8})
Thank you for your positive opinion Gordon ;D! It is interesting about other countries fire service colors. There are many fire departments here that use different color schemes. An example is Hershey Pennsylvania Fire department which used brown for their apparatus in honor of chocolate, that's a no brainer! There are orange, blue, white, customs, yellow, & many others. One of the departments I belonged to had DuPont Chrome Yellow apparatus, which was decided on because of safety issues! It was a beautiful yellow :love:! I am partial to the lighter reds like the Playmobil trucks myself.
-
great pictures and set up . From what i remember Bill you were or are a fireman . I think one thing a fireman needs is a fire :P I really like your use of different themes to fill in you fire equipment . Have you ever thought about getting a bulldozer and making it look like the forester's D6's . One thing we always had on control burns is some heavy iron .
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4127/hetarsenal3dp6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Thanks for sharing your rescue story and pictures :)9
Thank you Rasputin for the positive review! I have thought about customizing a setup like the picture you posted, but just can't bring myself to paint anything :-[. I have 3 of the 3757 bulldozers, & 3 of the 3935 transport trucks, but I just let them sit on shelves :-\.
-
Hello Bill :wow:,
Wonderfull pictures ! The attention to detail is first class as allways. I really like your water tanker, how did you make the red stripes and numbers ? It really does look effective. I also like the bigger winch on the front bumper. Which set did you use for your Brush fire fighting vehicle (B3) ? I cant remember seeing a red one and did the rear deck come as standard ? I really am considering in investing in one for my Fire Service :)9
Kindest Regards Tim :wave:
-
Hi Tim!
I'm glad you like the large brush firefighting units B1, B2, & B3! They are from set #3191 Dinosaur Expedition theme. I really liked the front brush guard, & winch, with the roof cable guide system that comes standard on that vehicle. Plus it comes already red so painting was not needed ;D! It also comes with the grey flat load platform so it was an easy conversion to a firefighting piece of equipment! The custom water tanker striping is red automotive vinyl pinstripe as we call it. 1/16" & 1/8" double roll. I get it from automotive paint stores. The numbers & letters I have found in a hobby shop all different sizes & colors. The letter, & numbers come on sheets sizes 1/4" up to 2". I am using the Gothic style. I have even labeled all of my fire department's units with their respective district, station, vehicle type, custom numbering system like the brush firefighting units B3. The first number in the vehicles unit number is the district. Playmobil City Fire Department is so large that it has been divided into 2 individual districts known as 1 & 2.
An apparatus with the first number that is a 1 comes from district 1, the second number is the assigned station number, stations 1 through 4. the last number is the apparatus type. 1,2,3, is for engine/pumpers, 4 is for tower ladders, 5 is for straight ladders no platform, 6 is for medium duty rescue, 7 is for heavy rescue. 8 is for SUV trucks that pull trailers & have special duties, but these vehicles have a forth number in the unit ID because there may be multiples of this type of vehicle assigned to one station. Examples; E111 is an engine from district 1, station 1, engine 1, E212 is an engine from district 2, station 1, engine 2, TL114 is a Tower Ladder from district 1, station 1, vehicle type 4, tower ladder with a rescue platform. T1 is a water tanker from district 1. B3 is a brush fire firefighting apparatus these types of vehicles are not assigned to any particular station or district. 1181 is a SUV from district 1, station 1, vehicle type 8, unit number 1, 1182 is a SUV from district 1, station 1, vehicle type 8, unit number 2. Sorry, I seem to be rambling.... if you have any questions or need me to get something for you let me know, I will gladly do whatever I can!
Best Wishes,
Bill
-
Thanks for the numbering explanation Bill, some seem obvious but I could not figure out the 'B' prefix and I didn't think about the districts, so much to learn! I really am enjoying learning about Fire and Rescue operations, especially the similarity and differences in other locales and countries. Thank you to everyone for sharing their interest and expertise with us!
Gepetto
-
Hello Bill,
Thank you very much indeed for the explanation on the numbering of your fire vehicles. I found it very interesting indeed. Is this numbering system unique to your Playmo fire service or did you base it on a real life fire service. I know over here in the UK different fire brigades use different numbering systems and abbreviations for appliances. It can get quite confusing because vehicles in different regions can have different abbreviations but ultimately do the same job 8}.
I really do like the numbers you use on your vehicles. I have been meaning to add stickers to my fire engines for some time now but haven't got round to it. One of the main things i would like to do is add the station names. I have done quite a lot of work (on paper and in my head) when it comes down to my Playmo fire stations and where they fit in as a whole 8} :lol:
Kindest Regards Tim :wave:
-
Hello Gepetto & Tim!
Thank you both for the positive reviews!
The numbering system I have started using on my apparatus is a combination of actuality, & made up. As you said about the UK Tim, it depends on individual departments, counties, mutual aide agreements, etc, & it can get really confusing, especially for dispatchers trying to keep track of multiple vehicles on a large scale operation if from different areas. Years ago, when I was a firefighter, all of the department's in the county I lived in, were starting to be dispatched by a central dispatch bureau. The bureau chief started a county wide numbering system similar to mine, but it included all 16 fire departments. The one big problem was each department had engines 1,2,3. The chief wanted to number each departments engines like I do mine for example, company 12's engine 1 would be 121.
It made sense, but the problem back then was engines had 24 karat gold leaf lettering on them. Put on by hand, swirled by brushes, & covered with varnish. It was an art that today has been lost due to vinyl stickers or decals. The cost of changing all of the engines numbering was outrageous, which caused a lot of tension between the departments, & the bureau.
I look forward to seeing your creations that you are working out in your head, Tim ;)!
-
Great set up, Bill. The white water truck is very nice, (as is the rest of the vehicles!)
Thanks for sharing.
Best regards,
Jimbo
-
Great set up, Bill. The white water truck is very nice, (as is the rest of the vehicles!)
Thanks for sharing.
Best regards,
Jimbo
Thanks again Jimbo!
-
Nice work Bill!