bulldogboy

The New Hampshire Air National Guard will be the first Air Guard unit in the country to receive the new KC-46A “Pegasus” air refueling tanker. The planes, a military version of the Boeing 757, will arrive at Pease ANGB in Newington, NH later this year. They will replace the current KC-135 tankers which the NHANG has been flying for over 40 years. I was a NHANG firefighter in the early 1970s.

Back in the 1980s, several air freight companies around here used a lot of "MS" model Macks. BSP Airfreight out of Londonderry, NH had an entire fleet of "MS" straight trucks and "MS" tractors. Big T & D Airfreight from Boston also used "MS" straight trucks. The company that I worked for part time had one "MS-200" straight truck. It was a basic 5 speed that I was used to in the Mack fire trucks that I drove. Not being a professional truck driver I probably didn't know better but it seemed like a good truck to me (I just didn't care for the exhaust pipe under the drivers door). BSP, a lot smaller now, and Big T& D are still in business but no longer use Macks. bulldogboy

FDNY 343: Is this really a former Boston Fire Dep't. engine? I thought that the "B" models Boston had (Boston's last Macks) were semi-cabs with the unique Boston bodies. If not, do you know what department it came from? Either way, nice engine and car. bulldogboy

The Hollis, NH Fire Department used to run this 1956 Ford/Moody engine. Looks like a smaller F-600, not a "Big Job". I know that the New Ipswich, NH Fire Department once had a 1956 Ford F-700, "Big Job" engine, a Farrar I think. I saw it about 30 years ago sitting along Route 9 in the Antrim/Stoddard area of New Hampshire. bulldogboy

Two photos that I took at the Ringling Brothers Museum in Sarasota, FL in 2010. One is the cannon truck and the other shows the miniature circus with Mack "CJ" and "AC" trucks. bulldogboy

The Mack is at the Ringling Brothers Museum in Sarasota, FL. Even if you're not a circus fan this museum is well worth visiting. There is a huge model of a circus setup complete with miniature Mack "BM" model circus trucks. Learning how the circus traveled from city to city, setting up and breaking down in one day, was very interesting. bulldogboy

Danbury, CT has a career fire department and eleven volunteer companies. This looks like Water Witch Fire Company 7's 1928 Mack 750 GPM pumper. Other companies operated "L", "B", and "CF" model Mack pumpers. This photo is from the Danbury, CT Fire Department's "Facebook" page. Credit to the photographer. bulldogboy

That four door Mustang looks pretty nice but, I don't know, the Mustang is,and always was, a two door sports car. If Ford wants a four door sedan keep the Fusion and update it. What's next, a Corvette mini-van? bulldogboy

One of the Cromwell, CT Macks that didn't make it to Yocum Creek or Upper Cloverfork, KY Fire Departments. joesmack needs to be notified. bulldogboy

Radnor sold its Mack to the town of Rockingham, VT where it was in service with the Rockingham Fire Department. In Vermont it was painted a bright chrome yellow. Rockingham sold it back to Radnor. There are three fire departments within the town of Rockingham: Rockingham, Saxton's River, and Bellow's Falls. bulldogboy

Looks like a Mack "C" model fire truck next to it. bulldogboy

1979 Mack/Pierce, 1250/1000. Replaced with a 2015 Pierce Arrow XT, 1500/1000. bulldogboy

110 years ago today, October 1, 1908 - the introduction of the Ford Model T. How did that work out for them? bulldogboy

Several years ago, I exchanged e-mails with Michael Fyock, who was the Chief of the Woodsboro, MD Fire Department on 9/11/2001. He said that shortly after 9/11 the Mack ladder truck was sold to the former owner of Interstate Mack in Hagerstown, MD. I don't know if he still owns it but there is no doubt that this truck and crew played a big part in one of the most infamous days in U.S. history. It would be nice to see it in a museum. There is a book about the Pentagon on 9/11, "Firefight - Inside the Battle to Save the Pentagon on 9/11" that has a chapter devoted to the exploits of the crew from Woodsboro and Ladder 16. bulldogboy

I saw my first Anthem yesterday, it was from Market Basket Supermarkets, a chain in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and moving into Maine. It has had a fleet of Pinnacles for a few years. I've seen a few trucking fleets moving from Mack to other brands, A. Duie Pyle to Freightliners, R & L Carriers to Peterbilts and IHC, Continental Paving to Kenworths, etc. To be fair Continental over the years has used other brands like Volvo, IHC, among others; it probably isn't completely through with Mack. One place where Mack is making a comeback in New Hampshire is fire department tanker chassis. After years of departments moving to IHC, Peterbilt, etc. there are several new Macks around: Windham Tanker 2, 2017 Granite/Rosenbauer, 1500/3000; Rochester Engine 7, 2017 Granite/Toyne, 1500/3000; Dublin Tanker 1, 2017 Granite/KME, 1500/3500; Peterborough Tanker 1, 2015 Granite/KME, 1250/2500; Fitzwilliam Tanker 1, 2008 Granite/Ferrara, 750/2500. It's a start. bulldogboy