Lasse D Posted October 7, 2007 With UniqueBuilders fire truck competition I finally got to complete this years old airport fire truck (ARFF). It is an Austrian airport fire truck from 1987 which you can see a lot of pictures and details of here It fits 4 minifigs (a driver, medic and two firefighters to man the canon). The doors open upwards like on the real model and the strange looking console in front of the driver is actually also like in the real truck. There are some small details around like the details beneath the lids on the sides and rear suspension, but the main function is without doubt the water canon. The canon is made entirely of LEGO bricks. 4 big pneumatic pumps pump air into the air tank from above. The tank is filled with water which is pushed out through the nozzle. The tank is pretty small and if you use all 4 pumps, it will be emptied in just 2-3 shots. I bought this new airport to show how the canon works, but I'm not really good at these action pics. Try to hold a (slow) camera with one hand while using a home made water pistol with the other and you will understand why the picture is so blurry - this was the best shot out of 10! PS. Should you ever get the same idea of testing your water pistol like me, make sure not to test it up against a radiator - they are really hard to get dry again! :-| (The Brickshelf gallery) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bonaparte Posted October 7, 2007 Wow, this is a great firetruck! And it has real water... did you invent that system yourself or was something like that already done in a Lego set? I'm not a city expert, that's why I ask. Anyway great work and good pictures. And I love the action picture. Maybe next time you can ask someone to do the water pumping while you take the pics :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonwillems Posted October 7, 2007 In the contest thread I already said how much I like this machine (very much!) but the more I look at it the greater it becomes. Never used the airtank as a watertank before, isn't it difficult to fill it with water? And to get all of the water out again before using it with pneumatics again? The suspension in the back is brilliant, making something look that good in such a limited amount of space requires real talent in building. As said before: it has my vote! *wub* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Green Hair Posted October 7, 2007 Awesome firetruck! *wub* That cannon is really inventive, simple but effective. You've got my vote! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asuka Posted October 7, 2007 The amount of details, both for the outside and the interior, and that wonderful working water cannon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zzz Posted October 7, 2007 A working water cannon!!! I cannot believe it.. *wub* I had one as a child, and I had lots of Lego.. But having it now together is like a dream come true! It must be awesome fun to play with that monster..! Thanks a lot for sharing and for the pictures! :-) oh... and I simply love vehicles that fit several minifigs... and the door is magic! Sweet!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted October 8, 2007 Oh my M&g!Bl*y gawd, that it incredible. *wub* I never even thought of doing that. 8- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hinckley Posted October 8, 2007 You never cease to amaze me Lasse D. Thanks for sharing your amazing creations with us again and again. I loved this before I realized it actually works and now, seeing how ingenious you've made it, I love it so much I want to marry it!! *wub* *wub* *wub* Your take on realistic LEGO vehicles is amazing. I wondered what you think of the Jack Stone truck caps being used in the new '07 sets... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Christian Posted October 8, 2007 WOW!! I dont know what to say. That thing is absolutely amazing! The suspension is ingenious, I've never seen it done that way before. The Watercanon is just a thing of beauty! I would love to see a video of it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lasse D Posted October 8, 2007 Thank you everyone. I'm glad you like it so much. It was pretty much ignored when on display in one of the city layouts at the last LEGO fan weekend (in Sk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Freddie Posted October 8, 2007 That is a truly awesome MOC. All those functions/i] crammed into what basically is a mini-fig scale crash truck. I've been experimenting with suspension design in minifig vehicles myself, and know how hard it can be to get something functional without it taking up to much space. I can't remember seeing another LEGO MOC with water like this, but I'm sure this can't be the first one. There has to be someone who has had this idea before me and shown it on Brickshelf. I got the idea from one of my old water pistols where you pump air into a tank which can be released. The most similar and/or related MOC using water I can remember, was a fountain - which had its hydrapneumatics motorised, so it would shoot some beams by itself. The water in that MOC went through a loop of sorts, so it didn't need refills to often. It was displayed and used in a town layout on a show, if I remember correctly. It probably is out there on brickshelf, somewhere. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
