bulldogboy

"The Arsenal of Democracy" by A.J. Baime is the story of the Ford Motor Company's audacious endeavor to build B-24 "Liberator" four engine bombers for the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII. When the U.S. government approached Ford about using its knowledge of assembly line production to build the planes, Edsel Ford and Ford's top production man, "Cast Iron" Charlie Sorensen, jumped at the opportunity and proposed building a new plant and "building a bomber an hour". Until now the B-24s were being built in California one at a time. Edsel's father, Henry Ford, didn't go along with this plan; his belief was that the war was a European problem and that the U.S should stay out of it. Nevertheless, he didn't stop Ford from building the Willow Run plant and building the planes. The book not only tells the story of the B-24 it also delves into the social, political, and economic trends of the day and how the need for war materiel upended all these beliefs leading to serious tensions. In the end, Americans pulled together, deprived themselves of basic necessities, and built the equipment needed to win the war. For anyone interested in the history of WWII, this is a must read book. Once I started it, it was hard to put down. bulldogboy

Very nice old truck; hope that they can find room for it in the station before it's too late. bulldogboy

I came across a "Youtube" video of FDNY's Fleet Services new 2016 (?) wrecker. It is a Century 7035 (35 tons) mounted on a "Granite" chassis. I tried to post a link but got a response of not available. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW3tObTIM3s. "Google" it on "Youtube" and two different videos are there. bulldogboy

Nashua sold it in 1974. I don't know the timeline but eventually it ended up in Londonderry, NH where the firefighters' association rehabbed it and lettered for Londonderry. I guess they wanted to use it for parades, etc. but I never saw it around. Several years ago I saw it for sale on "E-bay". It was in Barre, MA at the time, the owner also had a Mack "B-21F" for sale. If it's in NJ, I'm glad to hear that it is still around, It was a classic Mack fire truck. bulldogboy

LFD1935: Another 1935 Mack "B" model pumper in Connecticut was operated by North End Hose Company #3 in West Haven. According to "firenews.org" it is now privately owned. Surfing the web shows quite a few of these early "B" models still around. bulldogboy

Speaking of Noonan's, a brand new Noonan tanker went by my house last week. It was a Mack "Granite" straight truck with a set back axle and tandems. A huge truck; not even dusty yet. Noonan's used a lot of Macks but has been running Kenworths lately. Maybe they are moving back to Mack. bulldogboy

Nashua, NH Fire Department used to run this 1947 Mack "L-85F", 750/200, as Engine 4. Credit to photographer. bulldogboy

Ashland, NH Fire Department used to run this 1970s Mack "R"/Continental as Engine 2M3. bulldogboy

I took a photo of the North Brookfield, MA. Fire Department Mack "E" model city service ladder truck back in 2002. It was sitting on the side of I-290 in Worcester, MA. Mack "E" model ladder trucks were rare; nice to see that it is still around. Hope that it finds a good home and gets restored. The 1956 Ford "C" model pumper looks like the former Stow, MA Engine 3, a Farrar 500/500. Looks a little worse than in this photo. bulldogboy

This Mack/Grumman is currently for sale on www.govdeals.com. Auction ends June 2, 2017. bulldogboy

I know I'm getting old when they start referring to "CF"s as antiques. I know they are but still....!! bulldogboy

Former Concord, NH Fire Department Mack sedan cab pumper, either 1946 or 47. Picture taken about 45 years ago with a Kodak "Instamatic camera. It was sitting in a salvage yard in Concord. bulldogboy

Weston, CT has a 1934 "B" model, that could be the one. bulldogboy

Nashua, NH Public Works Department's Ford "Transit Connect" van with a CNG conversion. I don't think that I have seen one of these before. bulldogboy

When I was a kid in the early 1950s I remember all the Ahrens-Foxes that my city's fire department operated. Then there were the Mack "L" and "B" models when I started my career. When I started on the fire department, Pierce was a small, mid-western company that built on commercial chassis. In the early 1980s there were only a few Pierces in this area, one on a '70s Chevrolet chassis in Tyngsborough, MA and two '80s Ford "C" model chassis in Litchfield, NH. Other departments mostly used Farrars, Moodys, and a few Maynards. How times have changed!! Red Horse: Don't feel too bad about your Rosenbauer; seems like most of the new Pierces around here spend time in the mechanics' shop or at the dealer before all the bugs are worked out. Just the way it is today. bulldogboy

LFD1935: That's the early "B" model that used to be Meadowood, NH's muster truck? I read somewhere recently that it was originally from Lunenburg, MA and that LFD reacquired it. If you need advice, two other MA fire departments that have early "B" models are Barnstable, a 1935 model and Three Rivers (Palmer), a 1933 model. I put a picture of Meadowood's truck on the "New Hampshire Macks" thread. bulldogboy

A few Law Logistics Macks sitting in the Nashua yard a year or so ago. A couple set up for plowing. bulldogboy

For years Law Motor Freight warehoused and delivered liquor to the state owned NH liquor stores. Since they lost the contract they have scaled back quite a bit but they are still in the logistics business using Mack "Pinnacle" tractors. Recently, they moved into the former Nashua Corporation building (also a former Mack user, had a nice baby blue "R" model tractor) on Route 3 in Merrimack, NH. They still own these buildings in Nashua and I guess the "A" will stay there for now. This is their "A" model stake truck with the original name of the company, Law and Ingham Transportation Co. bulldogboy

Hudson, NH Public Works Department has a fleet of these Mack "Granite" dump trucks. bulldogboy

Bolton, MA has received its 2016 Rosenbauer "Commander" 1500/750/30A, 4X4 pumper. This new Engine 5 replaces the 1981 Mack "R"/Moody pumper. Another Mack and one of the last surviving Moody fire trucks rides off to that big fire station in the sky. bulldogboy

Don't see too many Flex's here in New England. It looks like a modern version of my family's 1959 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. Is the new vehicle coming out of Wayne going to be a Bronco? If so, what's the difference between a Bronco and an Everest? bulldogboy

If your VIN includes "6BG", the 6 refers to a fire truck and "BG" is a "BG" chassis. Fire "BG" chassis were also referred to as a "Type 50" model fire truck. "Type 50"s had a 500 GPM rotary pump. bulldogboy

This former DSNY Mack is now semi-retired in Dunstable, MA. bulldogboy

Yeah, I guess I was wrong on the "F-850"; must have been an "F-650" and I didn't read it correctly. Sorry for getting anyone's hopes up. bulldogboy

I don't recall if it had tandems, I just took a quick look at the cab as I went by. I don't think that I will be down that way any time soon. bulldogboy