FIRE TRUCKS AT WAR
Class 100
The first Class 100 Crash Truck was produced at the Quartermaster Depot,  Fort Holabird in Baltimore,
MD.  It was built on a 1 1/2 ton, 4x4 chassis and was powered by a 73 HP Franklin Engine.  The truck
was equipped with a small capacity rotary gear pump and held 100 gals. of water.  Cans of foam
powder were carried atop the vehicle and a mechanical foam maker was mounted on the right running
board.  Foam was produced by adding the powdered foam mixture into the foam maker.  The truck
carried a small number of tools for rescue work.  Records indicate that only two of these small trucks
were built.  W-503 and W-504.  Number 503 was assigned to the Carlisile Barracks in PA while number
504 saw service at the Randolf Army Air Field, TX
1932 Holabird built Early Class 100 Crash Truck USA W-503
The second version of the Class 100 Crash Truck was also built in 1932 at the QMC Depot in Baltimore.  Special provisions
were made for producing effective foam and carbon dioxide gas for fighting gasoline and oil fires involving aircraft.  It was built
on a special 6x4 chassis and was powered by a 130 hp. motor.  The 100 gpm. single stage centrifugal pump was mounted on
the chassis and operated through a power take-off from the motor.  The water tank held 300 gals.   Foam was produced
through special foam making aspirating nozzles, supplied from a 30 gal. foam tank or a powder type foam maker.  Four fifty
pound carbon dioxide cylinders were mounted in the body of the vehicle and attached to a hose reel carrying 100 ft. of 1/2 in.
high pressure hose attached to a discharge nozzle.  Four types of portable fire extinguishers along with numberous hand
rescue tools were also carried.  There are no records on just how many of these rigs were built.  Over 30 have been
documented from pictures and Army Service Command records.
1939 Class 100 Holabird 6x4 Crash Truck
Class 110
Class 110 Holabird built Crash Truck
Class 125
The Class 125 Crash Truck was built on the Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, International and Mack 4x2 Chassis.  Bodies were
manufactured by Mack, Seagrave, General Pacific, John Bean and General.  It was equipped with a special midship
mounted mulit-cylinder piston pump having a capacity of 50-60 gpm. at 600 lbs. pump pressure.  The water tank held 300
gals. and the foam tank held 20 gals.  Three 100 ft. 3/4 in. high pressure lines were stored in the rear of the vehicle or on
reels atop the hose body.  The truck was equipped with hand tools for rescue work.  Unofficial records and research
indicated about 999 Class 125's were produced
1942 Chevrlet-Mack
1942 International-Bean
1942 Ford-General
1942 Dodge-Bean
1942 Mack-Mack
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milfireguy@comcast.net
The Class 100 crash truck was built on the Chevrolet 4x4 chassis.  It was equipped with a 100 gpm centrifugal power take-off
pump and carried 250 gals of water with foam premixed in the tank.  Four fifty-pound carbon dioxide cylinders were mounted
in the body of the truck and attached to a hose reel mounted at the rear of the vehicle.  The hose reel carried 100 feet of 1/2
inch high pressure hose and was attached to a discharge horn.  The Class 110 was equipped with numberous tools for
rescue work.