South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum is a
 registered charity number 1051994

 member of the British Aviation
 Preservation Council

Wednesday 9th July 2008

AeroVenture, Dakota Way  
Airborne Road, Doncaster Leisure Park 
Doncaster, DN4 7FB, UK 

tel 01302 761616 

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TACR Arrives at AeroVenture

Work begins in earnest

Welding the chassis

Fitting the Cab

TACR gets it's wings!

31/01/05 AeroVenture Receives 1970's Crash Rescue Vehicle

TACR-1 on arrival at AeroVenture

January saw a new arrival at AeroVenture in the form of a Tactical Airfield Crash Rescue Vehicle (TACR-1).

As you can clearly see from the picture, this is based on a Land Rover 1 Ton chassis.

In the event of a take-off or landing crash, the TACR-1's job was to move in quickly and rescue the aircraft's crew, leaving the bigger fire-fighting units to tackle the fire.

Our TACR-1 was built in the early seventies with a Royal Air Force number of 30 AG 43. We are just starting to find out her history - so any information or photographs would be most welcome. Please either email to webmaster@aeroventure.org.uk or via post at the above address.

What we know is that after RAF service our TACR-1 was acquired by a British Racing & Sports Car Club (BRSCC) track, then moving to the Landrover Orphanage at Kemble before moving to AeroVenture.

The fire body and equipment was manufactured and installed by HCB Angus. Although she looks in poor condition at the moment, this is only skin deep (mainly to do with 10 layers of paint falling out with each other!) Restoration has now started. Our target is to get her fully operational and keep her as a fully working exhibit. She carries multiple extinguishers and a 100 gallons of water/foam. The TACR1's served at most airfields our display aircraft may have been based, and some civilian ones after being demobbed, so keeping in with our collection.

Following a detailed examination of the TACR Kevan is very pleased with his purchase

TACR Data plate - 'Truck Fire Fighting Airfield Crash Rescue
Manufactured by HCB-Angus Limited, Totton, Southampton, England
Manufacturers Serial Number - M 5264, 1 TON 4x4 , 16A/3033

31/07/06 Restoration begins in earnest

Removal of umpteen layers of paint reveals perfectly preserved aluminium body panels

Stripping parts ready to remove fire truck body

Fire truck body being removed to access steel chassis

Although the bodywork is in excellent condition, the chassis being steel is not

Up close the steel chassis is in poor condition due to rust, bad areas will need to be cut out and replaced with fresh steel - not a problem for an expert like Kevan

01/05/07 Welding the chassis

All the rot is cut out, fresh metal welded in resulting in a solid steel chassis

09/06/07 Re-fitting the rear TACR body

Today Paul and Callum fitted the TACR rear body after its extensive refurbishment with Kev taking the photo. The next step is to restore the forward half after 'evicting more tinworm' as Kev puts it!

18/12/07 Fitting the Cab

Photo Kevan Lewis

Fitting the cab and bulkhead after 2 new outriggers had been welded on. The next job is to weld the front chassis but due to the cold we are sorting out the wiring loom over Christmas having found some burnt-out wiring.

Kev is looking for a set of the old RAF FIRE SERVICE white round decals that go on the doors. If you can help, please contact Kev at kev@yhpg.co.uk

14/04/08 TACR gets it's wings

Front bodywork started being refitted

Seatbox and seats refitted in correct green - eau-de-nil, thanks again to Kev for the photos and update