Wozy strażackie American LaFrance - Francja: książki

In 1934, at the depths of the Great Depression, the American-LaFrance-Foamite Corporation of Elmira, New York, designed and placed into production an uncommonly handsome new big-city fire engine. Powered by the company's industry-leading V-12 engine, the 400 Series Metropolitan had its high-capacity pump mounted in the truck's cowl ahead of the driver instead of in the usual midship location under the driver's seat.
With its long, gracefully tapered hood, skirted fenders, classically-proportioned gabled radiator, and oversized wheels, the big 400 was a triumph of industrial design - an eye-pleasing blend of form and function, and the industry's first truly styled fire engine.

This authoritative, thoroughly-researched, and richly illustrated book documents the big 400's relatively short, but spectacular, production life. This long-overdue, eagerly anticipated compendium is the only book ever published devoted exclusively to this revered American firefighting classic.

The 1930s was the decade of style - an era of streamlining and bold, futuristic art deco design that influenced the look of everything from jewelry, furniture and skyscrapers to locomotives, ships, automobiles, and Fire engines.
Calendar year 1938 was an epochal one for new product development by America's largest manufacturer of motor fire apparatus, as the company introduced its first hydraulically-operated all-steel aerial ladder along with the industry's first compact, cab-forward aerial ladder truck.
But the biggest news that eventful year was its ultra-streamlined 500 Series fire apparatus. With its dramatically clean styling the art deco 500 Series suddenly made everything else look old-fashioned.

This authoritative, superbly researched and generously illustrated book documents the American-LaFrance 500 and 600 Series' remarkable nine-year production run from the late 1930s through the years immediately following the Second World War. In addition to the big 500/600 Series, the book also covers the lesser-known "junior edition" B-500 and B-600 Series.

Long overdue, this exciting compendium is the only book ever devoted exclusively to this controversial series and completes another fascinating chapter in American-LaFrance history.