Can someone tell me the specs on this rig (is it a Mack L?)? I remember it as a kid growing up. It served until 1986 as a front line Engine--Engine 9, then got repainted red and was a reserve Engine (E23) until about 1996 or 1997.....

My bad.....

You probably need this link to see the rig.....
http://www.firenews.org/mass/FallRiverMack.jpg

That's a Mack L Series like the model that Ertl produced - in fact quite similar. Looks like the roof sirenlight has been replaced by a Beacon Ray and the siren re-mounted on the left fender. On some of the open cab L Macks the sirenlights were mounted on the cowl just in front of the driver's door. Headlights look original also.
Jim L.

Location: Southgate, MI

No question that is an L Model. I'm in the process of cleaning up a 1/25 L Model resin cab for Dave Natale (AITM). It was a former Jim Etter casting that was in need of repair and some changes. It will be sent back to him when the cleanup is complete and he will have it in his product line.

Location: Wareham, MA

When did Ertl make a Mack L model? That's one I must have missed. I know First Gear did one. I wish someone would do an open cab version of a Mack L.

Location: Baltimore

Sorry ! That should have been First Gear Mack L and not Ertl. I sent many letters and photos to Ertl of the Mack L's trying to get them to produce one. They never did so First Gear beat them out. There is a fellow on Ebay that does open cab kitbashes of the First Gear trucks - might want to take a look.
Jim L.

Location: Southgate, MI

It is a Mack L. I grew up in Fall River and they had 2 of these, Engine 4 and Engine 5. As far as I remember, 4 was an L 95 and 5 was an L 85. They were replaced by yellow Maxims in the early 70's. These were originally both open cabs. I believe this is the old Engine 4 which was refurbished (roof added, converted to a diesel engine and repainted with the new yellow color scheme the city adopted). The second was sold years ago to a cranberry grower as a pump to flood the bogs.

Here is a link with a photo from the 1973 fire which destroyed the Firestone plant in Fall River. Scroll down about half-way for a photo with one of the Macks and how it originally looked. http://www.sailsinc.org/durfee/1973fire.pdf

Paul, I also grew up in Fall River....in the Flint, not too far from the old Flint Station on Pleasant Street. I remember all the yellow Maxims, which got refurbished and repainted red in the late 80's, I remember Ladders 2 and 4 before they got refurbished and had hard top canopys put on them. I also remember the old Ladder 3--Ward LaFrance and the old Engine 6 Ward (Foam Unit) and Engine 12's Ward.

Do you know of any site that has any of these pictured? I got a few pics of some of them that I took with an old camera in the 80's. I should get around to digging them out and scanning them.

Grew up in Maplewood not far from both Engine 4 and 5. I have pictures of the old REO rescue 1 (city had 2 at one time), Engine 6 Ward, Engine 7 Maxim and the Maxim ladder 2 with roof at www.firenews.org Still looking for my pic of Pirsch ladder 5 straight truck