Many civilian airports began buying them as surplus with some using the MB-5 until the early 1990s. Their removal from the military in the early 1980s was not the end of their life, however. They lasted for years, even receiving modifications until their retirement. It was quickly shipped all over the country, and the MB-5 became the most common fire truck in military airbases. Although the MB-5 was designed for use on aircraft carriers, it had many features that made it an ideal fire truck for shore-based airports. The truck Oshkosh presented was unlike any other on the market to date, being the first fire truck equipped with pump and roll capabilities. Design constraints stipulated that the vehicle was to function on aircraft carriers and shore stations, while also being similar in operation to its predecessor. When the contract for American LaFrance's MB-5 ended, the navy selected Oshkosh Corporation to be the next designer. For one, many of these trucks had a static spotlight mounted directly above the cab, plus a flatter design with sliding doors as opposed to hinged doors that were present on the Oshkosh version. ![]() This version of the truck (referred to in military manuals as the "Old model" ) had a few features that set it apart from the Oshkosh version. The MB-5 was originally built by American LaFrance. It could be seen on US aircraft carriers and airbases both during and after the Vietnam War, continuing service for almost a decade after production of the truck stopped in late 1971 (unconfirmed). This feature, along with its powerful 10.7 L Caterpillar diesel engine and four-wheel drive, made the MB-5 a staple of US military firefighting. However, What set this truck apart from other ARFF vehicles of the time was its ability to pump water while moving. It was designed for rapid deployment of multiple firefighting media by a crew of 4, with a relatively compact design. The Oshkosh MB-5 is a specialized aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle built by Oshkosh Corporation (formerly Oshkosh Truck Corp.) for putting out fires on-board aircraft carriers. Longitudinal, Rear-engine, Four-wheel driveĦ38 cu in (10.7 L) Caterpillar 1673 I6 Diesel TurbochargedĤ-speed Twin-Disk TD-41-1112 semi-automatic Bonneville County Fire District’s HEMTT fire truck.An Oshkosh MB-5 on board the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau. Idaho Department of Lands HEMTT fire truck. Pat sent us these photos of HEMTTs that are in Idaho. One of our readers told us about a Maine Forest Service fire station in Greenville that has at least one HEMTT. ![]() Let us know in a comment if you know of other fire departments using a version of the HEMTT as a fire truck. It cost the town only $30,000 through a government program that gives counties retired military equipment.Ī vehicle like that would normally cost tax payers about $500,000. Pickett Volunteer Fire Department’s HEMTT fire truck. ![]() The TFFT contract was awarded to Pierce Manufacturing with Oshkosh Corporation as a subcontractor to Pierce. The M1142 is a Tactical Fire Fighting Truck (TFFT) capable of extinguishing aircraft, petroleum, brush, and structural fires at isolated military installations. The TFFT is based on a HEMTT M977A2 chassis with the heavier duty M1120 LHS HEMTT variant rear suspension. Wikipedia had this information about one of the firefighting versions: There are also several varieties of fire trucks based on the HEMTT that hold from 1,000 to 2,500 gallons. Many variations of the HEMTT were made and are still being used by military organizations around the world to carry cargo, Patriot Missiles, rockets, and portable bridges. The vehicle is based on the military’s Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT), an eight-wheel drive beast manufactured by Oshkosh Truck Corporation. KXII has a story about a wildfire in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma where the Pickett Volunteer Fire Department used their huge 2,500-gallon wildland fire truck to help extinguish a fire near Ada (map). Image above: Pickett Volunteer Fire Department’s HEMTT fire truck.
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