Update on 4821 based heavy rescue unit

[playmofire]

Here are some more photos of work on the 34821 based heavy rescue unit.

(The previous, introductory topic is here:

http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=9039.0)

First photos showing the 4821 minus equipment in its original state as a pump:



then with the standard equipment trays and hose reel in place:



and, lastly, with additional custom equipment trays:

[playmofire]

Now, a general view of the revised interior on the heavy rescue version:



The upper, middle compartment which previously took a hose reel, has been opened out:



and additional runners for an extra equipment tray have been put into the front, upper compartment:



Finally, the interior with the equipment trays in place:



Final equipment hasn't been decided on (indeed, a revised, longer body has been suggested), but some of the equipment being trialled can be seen in the Knaresborough photos shortly.  I'll post a link later in this topic to these.

[conniefrere]

Great firetruck! Hope it is well equiped to save a lot of klicky's.

[PlaymoMan]

That looks great! I love how the warning sign has been added to the back of the truck.

[Clong]

Great custom rescue truck look foward to the equipment

[Wolf Knight]

Excellent, Gordon! I can't recall if I asked you this before, but how did you attach the light unit to the back of the truck?

[Bill Blackhurst]

Excellent addition of trays to this new rescue unit! The new 4821 fire engines can be converted to house so much more equipment than the retired 3880 series, but I still miss the roll up shutter compartment doors.

[playmofire]

Excellent, Gordon! I can't recall if I asked you this before, but how did you attach the light unit to the back of the truck?

I cut off any projections at the edges of the back of the light unit and sanded the back down flat where it was to be glued.  Then I roughened the areas with fine wet and dry paper so as to form a key for the glue.  The white strip between the light unit and the vehicle body is a plastic beam with an I-shaped cross section by a firm called Plastruct.  (They are the top row in the drawing in this link: http://www.modellersmate.co.uk/plastruct.htm).  I roughened the top and bottom surface of the "I" to make a good key and then glued a length vertically either side of the rear of the vehicle body using two pack epoxy adhesive and then glued the light unit to the beams.  Just to make sure, after the expoxy had set I ran a fine brush dipped in Plasweld polystyrene cement very carefully along the joins.  There was a gap at the top between the light unit and the vehicle body, and I filled this with a right angled strip of white Plastruc.  (That's the fourth row down in the picture in the link.) This was just glued in place with two pack epoxy as it is not load bearing.

The batteries of the light unit were originally in a space in the rear of the unit, but obviously they couldn't remain there, partly because the unit would have been too thick to fit to the "I" beams, but also because it would be impossible to change them when they went flat.  They are now underneath the body and can easily be got at by removing the base of the vehicle, a couple of lengths of wire running from the new battery holder to the connections in the light unit.  I'll try and take some photos this week showing this.

[playmofire]

Thank you all for your supportive comments; they are much appreciated.

I miss those roller shutters, too, Bill.  They were a superb touch on the 3880.

[Bill Blackhurst]

Thank you for the tutorial on how the batteries are relocated, Gordon! That's a great idea!