Jeep fire engines were first produced as early as 1945, and a small number were sold as "factory" units up until 1961 (with their own series of Willys serial numbers starting in 1955; see Willys-Overland Production Figures 1945-61). Most of the units sold through Willys dealers were apparently converted by Howe Fire Apparatus of Anderson, Indiana, and Boyer Fire Apparatus of Logansport, Indiana. Other companies building fire apparatus on Jeep chassis included:
This rare and historically significant photo from the collection of Thomas Engle, was taken on 16 May 1946 by Acme Newspictures for United Press Newspictures. It shows what is certainly one of, if not the earliest, CJ-2A Fire Engine.
It's apparently a delivery photo of a unit built on a very early 1946 CJ-2A Jeep, posed beside a 1940 Mack Model E pumper in the Chicago Fire Department's red and black livery.
Jeffrey Smoker points out that the Mack is also a pretty rare piece of apparatus; it's a Type 45U cab-over-engine squad, with 500 gpm pump and a large deck gun. Only 17 were made, and Chicago bought a number of them, as well as some Autocar COE squads.
The Jeep has a Darley Champion pump, but the side-mounted suction hose and the design of the ladder rack is similar to the 1945 CJ-2 Fire Jeep built by American Marsh Pumps. Unfortunately we can't see much of the rear of the Jeep, but in the larger version of the photo (130K JPEG) you can see reflected in the door of the Mack, the Jeep driver in a fire helmet, and a roll of hose behind the driver's seat. It appears not to have an enclosed hose bed. Any further details on this Jeep and what company did the conversion, is welcome.
The photo at left was taken during a demonstration by Willys in Berkey, Ohio in 1947 or '48. Richard Janney, now of Michigan, was present as a young boy with his dad, fireman M.H. Janney. The Fire Department in Berkey at the time was housed in the garage of Mr. Janney's store. Thanks to Richard for providing this information.
The full photo (230K JPEG) appears to show someone who may be young Richard in the trees to the right, and a close examination of the original 8x10 print reveals the "Berkey Fire Dept." name painted on the Jeep. An officer monitors the pump and another firefighter beside the Jeep is possibly manning the hand throttle.
The Jeep has a narrow overhead rack similar to the Chicago Jeep, but the rack also has brackets for the suction hose. Warning lights appear to be mounted on the front supports for the rack, and a siren on the cowl. Manufacturer is unknown.
The Willys booklet Jeep Operation Data (c. 1949) contains another photo of this event (30K JPEG).
Carrying suction hose along the sides rather than on an overhead rack, kept the profile low and maximized the Jeep's ability to access brush fires, and the design was used on early Jeeps from Howe Fire Apparatus. The CJ-2A seen here was photographed by Randy Brown at the Jeep Employees Car Show in Toledo in the late 1990's.
A second photo from Jeep Operation Data (c. 1949) shows a later Jeep Fire Engine with the more common type of overhead rack, drafting from an underground cistern or storm sewer. This may be a demonstration by the fire brigade at the Jeep plant in Toledo, since there is no sign of an actual fire. A wider view appears in the booklet Willys-Overland Export Corporation Special Vehicles.
Gary Urbanowicz spotted a photo which looks like another angle of the demonstration above, being offered on eBay as a photo from Argentina. There are other Jeep vehicles in the background, but the closer look at the helmet in this photo suggests that maybe it is indeed Argentina; a photo of the Willys factory brigade shows more standard American-style helmets, although that photo would have been possibly 10 years later. More information or larger copies of these photos would be welcome.
Another item from Thomas Engle's collection is this beautiful hand-tinted but undated postcard photo of a CJ-2A at Wheeling Downs racetrack in West Virginia. Photo by Wever-Turfoto, printed by Tichnor Bros, Boston. The caption reads, "Modern Fire Truck Minimizes Fire Hazard, Wheeling Downs, Wheeling, W.Va."
This Jeep has the overhead rack and rear compartment design found on most of the 2A's converted by Boyer Fire Apparatus and Howe Fire Apparatus.
See also a photo of a similar Jeep at Aqueduct Race Track, in Fire Jeeps in New York City
A 1948 newsletter called Jeepers News Review (70K JPEG) from the Willys dealer in Vancouver BC, includes a small news item from Auburn CA, titled Jeep Fire Engine Wins Acclaim (70K JPEG).
Thanks to Thomas Engle, John McClenathen, Gary Urbanowicz, Steve Hagy and Rodger Birchfield. -- Derek Redmond
See more CJ-2A's in Fire Service Jeeps on The CJ3B Page.
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