Fire Engines Photos

The RAAF has dozens of these in use until 1977? when they were replaced by the Oshkosh. The hours I've spent driving, training and cleaning these Truck Fire Aircraft TFA's !

Added by Dave Mallett on 29 April 2010.

OMG! the old Nubian! I had to RE-TRAIN on these at Garbutt AFB in Townsville NQ, (punishment?) - As I had already QUALIFIED on Oshkosh P4 fire tenders in Point Cook (Vic). It had a Crash Gearbox, straight-8 Rolls-Royce motor, and a foam capability of 1% effectiveness compared to the AFFF as used with the P4! - It took 2 Thorny's half an hour to extinguish 1 (ONE!) pit fire with a refill each. The P4 I and Wingnut demo'd for ABC-TV (Garbutt) took 8 SECONDS to extinguish 2 (TWO!) pit-fires of similar fuel!

Added by Robert Jackway-koomans on 06 August 2011.

To Dave Mallett and Robert Jackway-Koomans, any more info you guys have on your time in the RAAF please? I'm collecting all data of the RAAF fire trucks etc. photos too : )


Added by Fire995 on 06 August 2011.

ZAD321 I am sure originally came from Alice Springs Airport and I drove this vehicle hundreds of times

Added by Bob Dumbrill on 04 October 2013.

I remember as a kid we would hop in them at station this is pictured. My dad Was Graeme Slim Forrester. Pretty much this is where my dream started to be a firefighter.

Added by Justin Forrester on 15 February 2021.

Lovely picture. Does anyone know who the bodywork was carried out by? and any other Australian Thornycroft pictures with registration numbers? Thanks.

Ed: have you see this one? You can use the advance search function on the site. For example select "thornycroft" from manufacturers and Australia as the country. Or put "Carmichael" in to search box of advanced.



Added by Adrian Carmichael on 29 July 2022.

Interesting double sliding door arrangement.

It seems the rear door is more deeply recessed so that both front and rear doors can be opened simultaneously.

I am assuming the climate in Tasmania favors exposed steps like this….

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 July 2022.

Coincidentally this months Heritage Commercial magazine Aug 22 has a picture of one of these and it states ' The fire fighting equipment was designed and built by Wormald Bros (Vic.) Pty Ltd. This is part of a very interesting series of articles from the sharp end on selling Thornycrofts in Australia which makes a pleasant change from endless restorations another 'Bedford TK in memory of ......' and trucks on grass ( shows). Rob I am sure you could send the classic truck mags a few interesting stories!

Added by CraigW on 09 August 2022.

Probably. But for reasons we already all know about I’m afraid they would make depressing reading. Even nostalgia is not what it used to be!

Added by Rob Johnson on 09 August 2022.

We had one at one time to convert to a rain machine for the film industry however the Nubian was in Mebourne and we needed it in Adelaide. I drove it from Melbourne to Adelaide, up into the hills for the conversion, on the film and then, back to Melbourne. After a while driving became second nature however, that Rolls really knew how to consume fuel. Never let a servo go by.

Added by Jon Armstrong on 28 October 2026.

Jon When my local fire brigade in north eastern England replaced their wooden fifty foot wheeled escape ladder with a steel one, they took their Rolls Royce B8 engine Dennis F 12 down on the 500 mile round trip to London to collect the new ladder. It accomplished the run with an average four miles per gallon!

Added by on 29 October 2026.

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