The first of an initial batch of 18 of these Rosenbauer Panther Mk 8 ULFVs entered service at Perth Airport in March 2005. As of March 2010, a total of 54 of these vehicles had been ordered by Airservices Australia. The photo above shows one of the Panthers at Avalon on 26February 2013 in high-visibility yellow-green, a departure from the traditional fire engine red colour scheme for ARFF vehicles. The following day it was put on display at the Australian International Airshow.
<p>The basic chassis of these vehicles are built in Wyoming, Minnesota, USA by Rosenbauer Motors (RBM), which is a subsidiary of Rosenbauer International Aktiengesellschaft (RBI). Once the chassis is delivered, the superstructure, fire fighting equipment, electrical/pneumatic systems and final assembly are all built up in RBI’s Leonding plant – Leonding is just outside of Linz, Austria. The vehicles cost A$1.1 million each.
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These 10 m long, 30-tonne vehicles can deliver 5700 litres of foam per minute and can throw foam in excess of 80 metres from their roof-mounted monitor. These vehicles have a top speed of 120 km/h. The grey 'box' on the roof just behind the passenger side window contains floodlights on a telescopic mast to provide area lighting if necessary. Stowage for various rescue and fire-fighting equipment is provided behind the 'roller doors' on the sides of the vehicles. - Day 1 Avalon 2013 Australian International Airshow. File: Fire_Truck_Unit12_YMAV_20130226_8273
Robert Frola
GFDL
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