MLU FORUM - Alvis RCAF vehicles

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Alvis RCAF vehicles

There were a number of the ALVIS SALAMANDER fire fighting vehicles brought to Canada. These were the 6 wheeled machines based on the Stalwart chassis platform.

Does anyone know if one has survived anywhere in Canada?

Robin

Sorry Robin, I don't think I have ever seen one, but this pic may help jog someone's memory.

More pics at: http://www.firehouse651.com/gallery/Major-Foam-Vehicles

J

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin Craig (Post 121072)

These were the 6 wheeled machines based on the Stalwart chassis platform.

Hi Robin,

The other way around to be precise, the Stalwart was developed from the Salamander.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin Craig (Post 121072)

There was an Alvis foam fire truck in North Bay when I was stationed there is '67..
My roommate was an ME tech that worked on it and it had a peculularity on it that was annoying and erratic...
When cold..they would jump in..start it up .hit the throttle and it would idle away at zero and a quarter miles an hour..not a good thing for a fire truck to be doing....
anyway in a matter of minutes with a brutal massaging of the foot feed away it would go and tear off to the fire..and be good the rest of the day..
This would not happen every time and he finally got a call that the Alvis Rep was coming in Saturday morning and they were going to find out the problem..
Anyway I went along as "Winger Al..to make sure there was no beer drinking involved that didn't include me...
To make a long story short ..they started it up.and Marv my buddy was goosing the foot feed and this Rep was in the engine bay..a d he jumped down..Marv was just backing off and he put it in gear and it caught and nearly ran over the tech rep..
Funny as hell to see him in his spotless white coveralls rolling in the mud and oil outside the shop where they had parked it over night to make sure of a cool start..
Anyway the fix was a loose set screw on the throttle linkage that when warm would expand enough to catch and operate until it could cool down and slipped back into its evil ways..
My Alvis story for today..No Idea where it is today but may still be on the base or in the area.

:remember :support :drunk:

being a former fire fighter for a volunteer dept, i can tell you that many rural departments get their equipment and vehicles used through government auctions. since most fire apparatus live indoors, and are generally well taken care of, i would bet it's in the vehicle bay of some rural, volunteer fire department. having said that, once the fire dept is done with a vehicle, it usually either goes to another department, or up for general sale. if the latter is the case, and since it is a 6x6, it probably ended up on a farm.

Just an update.

I have found an RCAF one preserved in Canada.

Intentions are to go see it and document it later this winter.

Report and details later

R

One has just popped up in Manitoba, the owner cant get onto this forum I believe.

R

And it is fr sale.

The new owner is on HMVF but doesn't seem to understand how a forum works . . .

R

Just a bit of an update.

The lady did sell the vehicle, it is now still in the Winnipeg area and is owned by a movie production company. Their vehicle person, or picture car guy as they call them, now has it running, in a fashion.

He thinks the machine is barking mad but loves it. It is devoid of all the fire fighting related items in the stowage areas. There are a few things missing like the roof monitor also.

Pictures are to be forthcoming soon he promises.

Once it is done on the production it is being used for it is likely to be sold again and a new home has already been identified and a sympathetic owner looks forward to having it all to himself, hopefully.

The only one of its kind known to have survived from RCAF service.

A typical thread for me here on this forum, only 10 years old.

Again, a necropost, I found this photo recently and thought it should go in here

Found this in a discard-box. Sorry for the poor quality. Downsview airbase, mid 70's. Number 3 seems a match. Three across seating.

A Salamander in its element!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

And the story of the film.

https://cmea-agmc.ca/3-minutes-live

Thank you for finding those Terry, great asset. I will contact the gent with the RCAF Salamander and let him know about the reference material. He will be pleased.

Here is a colour image of a Salamander at Rockcliffe Air Base.

Attachment 112341