Let’s follow the footsteps of history and witness the development of aerial fire trucks together.
● Old Photographs in Our Memories: The History of Aerial Fire Trucks
The concept of ladders was initially developed for wartime needs. As early as 1847, Magirus began manufacturing fire ladders. In 1875, German inventor Johann Adam Stahl was the first to realize the idea of mounting a rotating ladder onto a horse-drawn carriage. That same year, the first horse-drawn wooden aerial ladder fire truck was introduced.
This particular vehicle, appearing in 1895, was a horse-drawn pneumatic aerial ladder fire truck with a working height of 26 meters. Such horse-drawn ladder trucks laid the foundation for the development of modern aerial fire trucks.
With technological advancements, fire trucks were no longer limited to horse-drawn designs. Eventually, ladder trucks modified from battery-powered motor vehicles began to appear, using carbon dioxide pressure to elevate the ladder.
In 1904, Magirus built a steam-powered aerial ladder fire truck with a working height of 24 meters. During the British Industrial Revolution, James Watt invented the steam engine, which introduced a new source of power for fire trucks. Although steam-powered fire engines first appeared in London as early as 1829, they didn’t become widespread in the West until the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The world’s first aerial ladder fire truck, where all three primary movements—driving, ladder rotation, and ladder extension—were powered by a single gasoline engine, was built by Magirus in 1916. It had a working height of 25 meters.
The 19th and 20th centuries marked crucial periods in the evolution of aerial ladder trucks and platform fire trucks. Let’s take a journey through history with these vintage photos and appreciate how these fire trucks have transformed over time.
The 20th century became the fastest-developing era for aerial fire trucks. In addition to the aforementioned aerial ladder trucks, water-tower fire trucks, and platform fire trucks also matured significantly during this period.
● Vivid Color Images: Modern Aerial Fire Trucks
After viewing so many old photos, let’s now admire the splendor of modern aerial fire trucks in full color.
Following over a century of development, today’s aerial fire trucks have undergone tremendous changes in both variety and functionality. The working heights of aerial ladder trucks and platform fire trucks continue to increase.
Modern aerial fire trucks are typically built on modified truck chassis, and one of their defining features is the diversity and stability of the chassis used. These include chassis from well-known brands such as Mercedes-Benz, MAN, Iveco, and Scania, all of which are used to build various aerial ladder and platform fire trucks.
