Welcome to the Alvis Salamander F.V. 6001, F.V. 651, F.V. 652, F.V. 653 Airfield Foam Crash Tender page

This page is dedicated to the least well known of the Alvis 6x6 F.V. 600 series, the Alvis Salamander Airfield Crash Fire Tender.

The correct designation is Alvis, 6x6, GS, Chassis for Fire Crash Truck, Foam, GP., Mk. 6, Mk. 6 A, Mk. 6 B, Mk. 6 C, and Mk. 6 D.

These beliefs are thought to originate from the animal's habit of climbing inside rotting logs which are then used as firewood. As the temperature rises, the salamander flees the fireplace giving the impression that it has magically appeared in the fire.

Whilst there is much talk of the Salamander being on a Saracen or Saladin chassis, each FV600 vehicle had its own designed chassis. The common parts factor is that it uses the same wheel stations, and suspension. Do visit our Punt hull page to read more on this.

This is the least common and least well known member of the F.V. 600 Saladin family, the F.V. 651 / 652 Salamander fire engine. It was designed for airfield fire-fighting, where high speed and good rough terrain performance were both vital, as airfields are large and contain unpaved areas. 

Production was from 1956 to early 1964, with coincidentally 1963 being when the Stalwart F.V. 620 Mark 1s started production to enter service with the British Army.

The 6-wheel drive of the Alvis Punt hull, and the large tyres of the Saracen were ideal. The Salamander was used from 1956 until the late 1970s by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Ceylon Air Force, and South African Air Force.

The Salamander is occasionally referred to as a MFV, a Major Foam Vehicle.

Description

This vehicle is being developed to meet an Air Ministry requirement for a Fire Crash Truck to deal with aircraft fires. 

The chassis is based on components used in the Armoured Wheeled 6x6 vehicles. The features of the vehicle are good performance on roads and on soft boggy terrain together with self-contained fire-fighting equipment capable of delivering 4,500 gallons of foam per minute. Accommodation is provided for a crew of six men including driver, and insulation and heating facilities are incorporated for operation in extreme climates. 

It is thought that this basic body for demonstrating to F.V.R.D.E. was made by Pyrene. The cab doors are hinged at the front, and a report shows they hampered the crew trying to leave the vehicle.

This "mock up" became RGX 875

Here we have 22 AG 54, the prototype Pyrene vehicle submitted to F.V.R.D.E. for evaluation. This is the vehicle that features in the film below.

You can see why the production model registration plate was mounted on the front of the cab, rather than the bumper.

Apparently, It was tested to destruction at the Military Vehicle Experimental Establishment at Chertsey, then shipped to the RAF MT 4th line workshop at RAF Leconfield as a training aid.

Description: 

The maximum use of tested components from the F.V. 600 Series of vehicles has been made in the development of this chassis. The frame is of mild steel conforming to the shape of the lower portion of F.V. 600 hull. The necessary torsional rigidity has been provided by the addition of box section side and cross members. The major variation from F.V. 600 are the use of a B81 Mk. 8A engine, light alloy road wheels, larger tyres, stiffer torsion bars, flow control steering and hydrovac brake operation. A distributed load of 16,470 lb may be imposed on the chassis in the form shown. 

Description: 

This vehicle has been developed to meet an Air Ministry requirement for a highly mobile Fire Crash Tender capable of negotiating all types of terrain at high speeds, and dealing with fires in large aircraft. A unit capable of producing 9,000 gallons of foam in two minutes, dispersing from a monitor on the vehicle and two side hoses 60' 0" long, is installed together with a 16 gallon Chlorobromomethane* unit provided with two 100' hand lines. The body is insulated and heating facilities are provided to render the vehicle operational under a wide range of climatic conditions. A crew of six is carried and special equipment includes a power saw and rescue ladders, two-way radio and night operation lighting.

F.V. Specification Number: Chassis 9252. Body 9252. Equipment 9252.

Peter Cowley was an apprentice at Alvis during the 60s. Of the Salamander chassis, he recalls;

Dear Mark

I do remember them well. They were still in production when I was an apprentice.

In chassis form they were very quick because they were non armoured and much lighter. I am fairly sure they had the more powerful Rolls-Royce B81 engine fitted. One of the testers was caught speeding in one and fined! I believe the RAF called them the MK6 fire crash tender.

I do remember that they were fitted with the fire engine body, etc at Pyrene in the London area.

I also remember that every one was driven there by one of the testers well wrapped up in tank suits etc. 

Kind regards

Peter 

The Pyrene Company factory was at Great West Road, Brentford, TW8 9DN.

Chubb and Sons took over Pyrene in 1967, which it continued to operate under the name Pyrene until 1971.

Abstract
... If I remember correctly it was better finished, and had the Francis electric bell mounted behind a front grille.

Added by Tim Wingham on 27 May 2009.
https://www.fire-engine-photos.com/picture/number2343.asp 

Two different monitors were fitted to the Salamander. The smaller one can throw 2500 litres per minute, the larger one can throw 5000 litres per minute.

The vehicles were first fitted with Chlorobromomethane (CBM) extinguishment medium. This comprising of a 10 gallon (45 litres) tank pressurised by nitrogen which was discharged through 100 Ft (30 meter) hoses. This was primarily used for small fires within compartments, engine fires or as a quick knockdown agent. The CBM was changed to Bromochlorodifluromethane (BCF) as the extinguishment medium, as the CBM is poisonous.

The Salamander was also fitted with a self contained vehicle fire protection system - with a "Fire wire" detection system around the engine compartment. The engine compartment had discharge nozzles fitted that were connected to the extinguisher system. The vehicles were initially fitted with CBM extinguishers, but again changed to BCF at a later date for crew safety.

*Chlorobromomethane is a colourless-to-pale yellow sweet- smelling liquid. It is used in fire extinguishers, as a grain fumigant, and to make other chemicals.  Chlorobromomethane is on the Hazardous Substance List. 

Just a matter of interest the different marks of the Mk 6 is as follows;

The original Mk 6 had a suction eye, the CBM (later BCF) hoses on drums, and had a 2500 GPM monitor.

Mk 6 B is the Mk 6, but converted in service to a 2500/5000 GPM monitor.

Mk 6 A did not have a suction eye; the CBM (later BCF) hoses were flaked in, and had a 2500 GPM monitor.

Mk 6 C same as Mk 6A but had a 2500/5000 GPM monitor.

Mk 6 D is the Mk 6A, but converted in service to a 2500/5000 GPM monitor.

Added by Dave Wickwar on 15 January 2012.

The water pump is a Coventry Climax universal fire pump (U.F.P.)

Mk 6 A

[a] U.F.P. Mk7D pump without primer suction or discharge lines

[b] CBM hoses behind grills

[c] Fibre Glass Foam Compound Tank

[d] Split type PTO

Other wise as Mk6

Mk6C & Mk6D

[a] Split type PTO

Otherwise as Mk6B

On some of the Foamite and Pyrene adverts, you will see M.O.S.. M.O.S. was the government's Ministry Of Supply, who's standards had to be met in order to supply equipment to the government and British armed forces. This meant that the vehicle had been tested by what became the Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (F.V.R.D.E.).

A Suction Eye is a connection available to connect lengths of hard hose to, to enable the pump to lift water from a natural source (river, pond, etc). Usually the vehicle carried 2 or 3 lengths (Domestic vehicle 4 to 6) of Suction hose (Black six inch with London Round Thread couplings). The suction hose being solid, so that the pump sucks water from the river, rather than collapsing a soft hose. Only the Mk6 had this facility I think with the suction eye on one side.

Flaked hose is a means of storing the hose for either water, foam or other media. In the case of the Mk 6 it had two lengths on the rear quarter’s which were connected to the CBM tank - in later models ( Mk9 ) this was changed to BCF. 

Flaking had the hose either coiled in a container or laying flat on the locker floor - instead of on a drum as a garden water hose. Mk6 A, B, C & D variants all have the hoses in figure of 8 formation behind grills on each side of the body - towards the rear.

The methods of stowage for hose, mainly for water and foam, are 

• Conventional (rolled on the male coupling).

• Dutch (hose folded in half length wise) rolled with both couplings accessible.

• Flaked. 

The foam delivery hose for the Mk6 were Dutch - so you opened the locker grabbed the branch and ran - the hose would fall out of the locker and uncoil behind you.

The British Army received a single Water tender for the Central Ammunition Depot, due to it's remote location. There was no foam dispenser on this vehicle

Text from the newspaper article above says

Spectators shivered and shuffled in a bleak wintry wind as the Deputy Director of Ordnance Services (Brigadier C D Key) slowly inspected the men of the Army’s newest fire station, at Central Ammunition Depot, Kineton, presented certificates, then made his speech. “I declare this fire station open,” said the Brigadier finally, and pressed a button. The alarm bell rang and the station sprang to life. The paraded firemen broke ranks and a brand-new Salamander fire engine hurtled out of its bay, sounding its strident two-tone siren. From an adjacent bay emerged a bright-red fire car to career more sedately, and with more modest siren note, down a railway track. 

Kineton is the first brand-new station to be opened since the Royal Army Ordnance Corps* took over responsibility for the Army Fire Service from the old Royal Army Service Corps, and the first since the Fire Service became completely civilianised in 1961. The Army's only Salamander (a cross-country six-wheeler in the Alvis family of Saracen, Saladin and Stalwart) and the two rail fire cars are a necessity at Kineton because the depot has few access roads.

*The change from RASC to RAOC was in 1965.

I owned one of these back in 1973 briefly... it was an ex-RCAF Somerside truck. Had it in Saint John, NB. It was 1956 or 58 as I recall. it was a toy for me... just because. Some salvage yard in Fredericton had three of them ...

Added by David E Baird on 13 January 2012. 

The Alvis/Pyrene units called the G19 by the RCAF were shipped to Canada early 1958. It was innovative as it was required to "Pump on the move" which the original RAF version did not. Also it had no CBM nor air-powered tools facility. 

34 were ordered, 5 were kept in Europe, England, France and Germany at RCAF bases of which none survive. 

I have searched the web for traces of G19's in Canada but have only found information on them being scrapped !! ...

Added by Ian Lisseman on 06 June 2014.

From RCAF magazine - Flight comment - March 1962

As new aircraft were added to the RCAF inventory, crash fire protection had to get new equipment to keep pace. Off-runway capability became more important, and greater quantities of airborne fuel over-extended the G23. The answer was the G19

This latest MFV is constructed in England to meet RCAF performance requirements. This truck, the epitome of crash protection, is capable of generating over 9, 000 gallons of foam, and can go off runways into almost any terrain. It can knock down four-inch trees, ford mud and water holes 18 inches deep, and proceed through a fresh snowfall of the same depth. Its two high-capacity handlines (1600 GPM of foam each) complement the turret (25000 GPM of foam) to produce a three pronged attack. All-wheel drive, with each wheel independently suspended, gives it the mobility and agility of a tank.

The 30,000-lb, G19 goes from 0 to 50 in 45 seconds and has a top speed of over 60 mph. It carries 700 gallons of water, 110 gallons of foam, and three secondary extinguishers.

Unfortunately, the G19 provided a few headaches, involving the serviceability of its prime mover - and when the prime mover won’t go, the extinguishing agent doesn’t get to the fire. Action has been taken to overcome these difficulties .

From THE MALTESE CROSS, by E.J. Evans, Captain, Air Command Headquarters, Winnipeg, 1993.

G19 MFV . 

The Alvis G19 MFV was manufactured in England by the Pyrene Foam Company. It was mounted on a 6 X 6 all-wheel drive Salamander chassis, which previously had been designed for use as an armoured personnel carrier. A Rolls Royce B81, Mk 80A provided road and pump power with use of a power-take-off system (later changed for a V8 Ford engine and Allison transmission). The fire fighting package included a 700 gallon water tank and 110 gallon foam agent tank capacity. All controls for operation of the foam producing equipment were located in the cab and delivery valves to handlines and turret could be operated from the driver's seat. 

Its cross country ability was remarkable and it would come very close to being the much sought after all-terrain fire vehicle. One of the unique features of this vehicle (there were several) was the position of the drivers seat, it was located dead centre in the cab. The truck's active life was relatively short for the design of the fire fighting package provided more payload than the chassis was meant to carry. As a result, the vehicle became beset with mechanical problems and quickly earned the title of Hangar Queen. The title was not totally deserved, but the combination of overloading and the unforgiving (initially) installed pre-selection gear box (especially to inexperienced drivers) sounded the vehicle's death-knell. The vehicle's design was basically sound and its cross country, off-road performance would be enviable even today. The vehicles off road capability was lost to future generations of crash vehicles, which is something of a shame given that it has never been matched by newer designs. 

One of the G19 strengths that was not overlooked, was the foam production system. The system incorporated an 800 cubic foot-per-minute air blower that allowed the truck to generate superior foam with an increased expansion ratio. The turret was exceptional, with an effective reach of stream of over 100 feet. During periods when it was serviceable it was an unmatched first-class piece of fire fighting equipment. However, the four-inch hand-lines did become extremely heavy when charged with foam. A real test of strength was to manoeuvre charged lines without developing a hernia. 

The Alvis advert says

The Alvis Salamander chassis is designed to be used without restrictions on all terrains, regardless of their nature. It is derived from the Saracen and Saladin combat vehicles whose qualities have imposed themselves in service.

The Salamander is the chassis of the most effective firefighting vehicle of crashed aircraft; equipment team Pyrene or Tecalemit of the fight against fire it is the standard vehicle of the aerodrome fire service of the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Ceylon Air Force and the South African Air Force

Included in the FV651 Salamander collection is the Runway surface friction test vehicle. It's purpose was to test the friction of the tarmac for aircraft braking. It was built for, and used by, the Ministry of Aviation.

The middle wheels have been removed, and you can see the friction test wheel, just behind the front wheels and in the centre line of the vehicle.

The hubs are not of the typical FV600 range, which have reduction gears on them. It would be interesting to know what the top speed was of this.

As well as being used by the Ministry of Aviation, NASA also conducted joint trials with it in the UK.

The report of the Joint NASA-British Ministry of Technology's research into the Skid correlation study mentions "The Juggernaut". This report was published by the Ministry of Technology on 1st January 1969.

The following extract explains the vehicle. The full document link is listed in the Articles section.

The Heavy Load Friction Vehicle, commonly called the "Juggernaut," weighs 11 tons, is powered by a 240 bhp engine, and requires a distance of 4000 feet to reach 60 mph. The test wheel fitted with a 35 X 10-17 aircraft tyre having five circumferential ribs is located by a parallel suspension system and is mounted within the wheel base on the centre line of the vehicle just behind the front axle. This wheel is loaded through a specially developed hydraulic system by adjusting nitrogen pressure in a loading accumulator and the test load can be set to any desired value up to a maximum of 5 tons. With this ability to vary the load, tyre inflation pressures from 24 to 280 psi can be used. Drag and vertical loads are measured by strain gauges and recorded as a continuous trace. 

The brake is a normal aircraft plate type and can generate sufficient torque to lock on any surface encountered so far. The brake can be operated from an aircraft anti-skid system; alternatively, it can be made to lock the wheel and therefore measure the impending- and locked-wheel skid friction values. During the NASA Wallops Station study, tyre pressures of 24, 100, 160, and 280 psi were used with a normal load of 7840 lb, except that the tyre was at 24 psi when the load was 1750 lb. 

This post was put on the HMVF forum

https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/21646-alvis-juggernaut/

Posted 26th May 2012

Hi Neil,

I can recall seeing this vehicle in the Aircraft Engineering hangar at Cranfield Institute of Technology in the mid '80s. At that time Cranfield were testing the suitability of radial tyres for use on aircraft and I remember seeing it being driven up and down the runway conducting tyre tests at that time.

I have found an article in a copy of "Aerogram" which was the in-house newsletter of CIT at the time that mainly describes the tyre test, but also give a brief description of the vehicle.

Quote:- The tyre temperature trials were performed using the MOD Heavy Load Friction Vehicle (HLFV) which is based at Cranfield. The vehicle is a 12 tonne 6x6 chassis normally seen on Saracen armoured cars and fire tenders. Major modifications to the vehicle have seen the removal of the centre pair of wheels and the installation of a centrally mounted pantograph jacking system on to which an aircraft wheel can be mounted. The wheel can be loaded up to 44kN and driven along the runway at speeds up to 90km/h.

I can't find any other info on the vehicle, but I'll walk over to the hangar next week and see if anyone remembers anything else, or even where it is now.

Cheers, Barry

Posted June 15, 2012

Hi guy's thanks for info, I have had the vehicle parked in my yard for several years now, it has "NASA ,wallops island Virginia USA" stencilled on both sides of it and ministry of aviation on both doors.

Can anyone shed any light on the NASA part of it's life. thanks' 

Neil.

Posted June 18, 2012

Hi Neil,

Is this the logo on the HLFV door?

It was interesting to read in the NASA report that the HLFV was operated by the College of Aeronautics for the American tests. The College of Aeronautics was a department within Cranfield Institute of Technology when I joined in 1979, but Cranfield was started in the late '40's as the College of Aeronautics. The college became CIT in the '50s, I believe.

Cheers,

Barry

I was loaned a box of Alvis paperwork. Amongst it is this drawing for an 8x8 Crash fire tender, with a crew compartment at the rear, and twin engines.

The Mk 7 came into service in 1965, so this theory proposal would have been around 1963 I guess.

FVRDE's drawing of the proposed 8 x 8 Mk 7 fire crash tender, based on F.V. 600 running gear. At 4ft 6 inches, the wheelbase between the second and third axle is shorter than the F.V. 600's standard 5ft. 

The drawings shows the engines as Rolls-Royce B81 Mark 5H, which is 4000 r.p.m.

Note the rear facing seats at the back for 4 of the crew. The outlines of the two engines, mounted front and rear, can be seen, as can the location of the water and foam tanks. No indication was given as to which of the eight wheels would steer. 

The Pyrene advert above says

 
Pyrene Heavy Duty Airfield Crash Tenders (continued

MARK VI (M.O.S.) 

on Alvis “Salamander” chassis

Built on an Alvis Type F.V. 651 6x6 chassis with 4 wheel steering, and powered by a Rolls Royce B81. No. 1 Mk. 8A engine of 238 b.h.p., this crash tender is now being manufacturer under Ministry of Supply contract. It is constructed to British Air Ministry specifications for use by the Royal Air Force, and has also been selected for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

It has been evolved to meet the demands of large airfields in various parts of the world where difficult ground conditions may prevail. This vehicle is capable of traversing exceptionally rough or boggy ground at high speed and, on arrival at the scene of the fire, projects a great volume of foam on to a burning aircraft at the rate of over 5,000 gallons per minute. Instantaneous foam application is made possible by the provision of a monitor that enables a maximum foam delivery of 2,500 g.p.m to be released in the form of a 90 ft. jet. A maximum foam delivery of 3,200 g.p.m. is available from two hose lines, each having a maximum throw of 70 ft.

Chlorobromomethane equipment may also be fitted, as in the case of the vehicle illustrated above.

The Mark VI Crash Tender has ample accommodation for a crew of up to six men and carries, in addition to the fire fighting equipment, 700 gallons of water, 100 gallons of foam compound and auxiliary gear for rescue operations.

The remarkably high standard of fire fighting efficiency built into this vehicle, combined with the high speed with which the Alvis 6 x 6 chassis may be driven and manoeuvred into position under the most difficult conditions, classifies this vehicle as a Crash Tender of unprecedented fire fighting power.

Media: FOAM and CHLOROBROMOMETHANE.

Output: 10,000 gallons of foam in 2 minutes

Chassis: Alvis “Salamander 6x6

Engine: Rolls-Royce 238 b.h.p.

Equipment: High Expansion Mechanical Foam and C.B. Hose Reel.

The REVIEW Foamite article above says

This Foamite / Alvis fire crash tender, one of five commissioned by the South African Ministry of Defence, underwent its acceptance trials at Kenley RAF Station, Surrey, on October 20. Its remarkable performance in driving over rough ground to put out an oil blaze in a 30 ft. by 30 ft. tank in under a minute being shown on a BBC television news reel that evening. 

The Review attended a similar demonstration the following day in the presence of a large number of representatives from the Ministry of Works and the Air Ministry and RAF Fire Services, which included Mr. E. J. C. Williams, G.I Fire E., Principal Fire Service Officer. Foamite Ltd. have already supplied four of these vehicles for service with the South African Air Force. 

Powered by an 8-cyl. Rolls-Royce 61/2 litre petrol engine developing 240 bhp, the Alvis/Salamander is capable of accelerating to 40 mph in 32 secs. It can ford a 2 ft. 6 in. depth of water, push down trees up 10 3 in. dia. and surmount any obstacle up 11 ft. 6 in. high. Carrying 700 gal. of water and 110 gal. of foam-making liquid, the driver operates the controls from his driving seat. A monitor mounted on the roof can direct a jet of foam or spray at the rate of 2,500 g.p.m over 90 ft. Additionally, two firemen can run out twin hose lines to give an additional 3,000 g.p.m. 

Space is provided for two-way radio and loud-hailer, while crash rescue equipment includes metal-cutting circular saw for breaking into the fuselage. 

A REVIEW reporter who travelled in the vehicle found its suspension satisfactory over the roughest of ground — even crossing a 5-ft. trench.

Text from the coloured exploded drawing of the Salamander below

The country surrounding many airfields – military and civil – can be very rough, with ditches and marshes, etc. To meet these conditions, the Alvis Salamander fire crash-tender has a six-wheel drive with independent suspension to each wheel. The Rolls-Royce 8-cylinder-in-line, 238 h.p. petrol engine is mounted at the rear, and drives the six wheels through a five-speed epicyclic gearbox, plus a transfer gearbox. The top road speed is 54 m.p.h.

Aircraft fires are very vicious in intensity and demand the fastest and most powerful fire-fighting equipment that science can provide. In petrol or oil fires, a chemical-foam compound is used to smother the blaze; carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is sometimes used in confined spaces. Water is used to ordinary fires, the suction pump being connected to a nearby water hydrant, if available. This fire-fighting equipment is supplied by the Pyrene Co. Ltd.

Fire crash-tenders like this are in service with the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and others.

Contrary to some beliefs by civilians, a number of military vehicle marks were not disposed of when a new mark came in to service. A prime example is the Alvis Salamander / Pyrene crash tender, which worked alongside other marks of crash tender as well as being supported by Dual purpose foam tenders.

Due to the expected locations of any fire, the Crash tenders were supported by Dual Purpose (DP) fire tenders - which carried water to the event.

Foamite made Dual Purpose fire tenders on Thornycroft Nubian chassis for Government contracts.

JR 21

Dragonbadger make a range of Alvis FV600 vehicle kits. They include; 

• Pyrene crash tender
  https://dragonbadger.co.uk/product/raf-fire-tender/ 

• Pyrene driver training vehicles  https://dragonbadger.co.uk/product/driver-training-vehicle-3d-print-in-various-scales/ 

Looking for donated copies of any manuals for the Salamander,  including

Royal Air Force Fire Manual : Aircraft Fire-Fighting And Crash Rescue Services AP 957  Part-2  

Just a quick thanks to Chief Geoffrey Davey and his son, Chief Anthony Davey from South Africa - who saved the Canadian book. And to André Oosthuysen for sharing it with us.

Sorry, no files held at this time.

If you have any files on the Salamander that you would like to share with others, please do drop me an email - shown at bottom of page.

Manuals held by the R.A.F. museum