Restoration of a Vietnam-Era Navy Fire Truck
Donation protected
My name is Taelor Kirkebye, and I am a 17-year-old volunteer at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, NY. My quest is to restore a 1969 Oshkosh MB-5 firetruck to fully operational condition.
This firetruck is known as a crash tender or crash truck. These are used in airports to deal with aircraft emergencies that normal structural fire trucks cannot deal with as effectively. Prior to these trucks, the military used nothing more than modified pickup trucks, with a pump strapped to them. This necessitated something new, and so the MB-5 was born. One of the first of its type, the MB-5 solved many problems faced by the military in regards to firefighting. The specific unit I am restoring served on the USS Nimitz for a time, before being moved to a shore station. A firefighter that served on the Nimitz purchased this truck as surplus, before donating it to the museum. The truck ran almost perfectly, until the winter of 2018 when everyone forgot to take out the batteries. With one of the most expensive parts on the truck destroyed, the person in charge of vehicles struggled to find a crew that would take over the project. That is until I came along.
I joined the museum in early august of 2020 as a way to keep busy during the quarantine. On my way into the museum, I spotted something big and yellow parked over by a garage. I said to Don (the man who gave me this opportunity), "Hey! There's a crash tender over there!" And so my interest began.
After hearing that the man in charge of the land vehicles was looking for a crew to work on it, I immediately found him and asked if I could work on it. I was given permission to do so, and off I went. I scoured the internet for details, called the original manufacturers for a manual, and studied the designs for the truck closely.
This brings me to the purpose of this fundraiser. The truck is in very good condition, with only a couple of parts missing. The problem with the truck is getting it running again. as you can imagine, sitting for 2 years out in the open is probably not good for an engine. fluids settle, parts can rust and lock up, belts and seals can dry out and crack, and worst of all, condensation will make its way inside everything. This fundraiser will cover all the things necessary to make the truck run again, but it doesn't stop there. I need to buy paint, warning devices, gas, and firefighting tools to make this thing just like it was in its heyday.
I plan to finish the first part of this project by the summer of this year. With the virus hitting us students especially hard this year, please support this cause. I want visitors at the museum's airshows to see a spectacular water salute! I want people to know that they can still enjoy themselves during quarantine! I want more attention brought to the brave men and women of our emergency services, both during wars and in this pandemic! Please consider supporting this cause. I will be eternally greatful.
If you want to visit the National Warplane Museum and support other cool projects like mine, visit their site at https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/
This firetruck is known as a crash tender or crash truck. These are used in airports to deal with aircraft emergencies that normal structural fire trucks cannot deal with as effectively. Prior to these trucks, the military used nothing more than modified pickup trucks, with a pump strapped to them. This necessitated something new, and so the MB-5 was born. One of the first of its type, the MB-5 solved many problems faced by the military in regards to firefighting. The specific unit I am restoring served on the USS Nimitz for a time, before being moved to a shore station. A firefighter that served on the Nimitz purchased this truck as surplus, before donating it to the museum. The truck ran almost perfectly, until the winter of 2018 when everyone forgot to take out the batteries. With one of the most expensive parts on the truck destroyed, the person in charge of vehicles struggled to find a crew that would take over the project. That is until I came along.
I joined the museum in early august of 2020 as a way to keep busy during the quarantine. On my way into the museum, I spotted something big and yellow parked over by a garage. I said to Don (the man who gave me this opportunity), "Hey! There's a crash tender over there!" And so my interest began.
After hearing that the man in charge of the land vehicles was looking for a crew to work on it, I immediately found him and asked if I could work on it. I was given permission to do so, and off I went. I scoured the internet for details, called the original manufacturers for a manual, and studied the designs for the truck closely.
This brings me to the purpose of this fundraiser. The truck is in very good condition, with only a couple of parts missing. The problem with the truck is getting it running again. as you can imagine, sitting for 2 years out in the open is probably not good for an engine. fluids settle, parts can rust and lock up, belts and seals can dry out and crack, and worst of all, condensation will make its way inside everything. This fundraiser will cover all the things necessary to make the truck run again, but it doesn't stop there. I need to buy paint, warning devices, gas, and firefighting tools to make this thing just like it was in its heyday.
I plan to finish the first part of this project by the summer of this year. With the virus hitting us students especially hard this year, please support this cause. I want visitors at the museum's airshows to see a spectacular water salute! I want people to know that they can still enjoy themselves during quarantine! I want more attention brought to the brave men and women of our emergency services, both during wars and in this pandemic! Please consider supporting this cause. I will be eternally greatful.
If you want to visit the National Warplane Museum and support other cool projects like mine, visit their site at https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/
Organizer and beneficiary
Taelor Kirkebye
Organizer
Geneseo, NY
Amy Cifelli
Beneficiary