A 1/32 scale 1955 Bedford aerial ladder truck, Aalborg (Denmark) FD. The apparatus was built on a British Bedford chassis, with a Magirus aerial (a German aerial ladder and apparatus manufacturer). It was used by the Aalborg Fire Department in Denmark.
This five-section aerial is made from 1/32” square basswood, with 1/32” x 1/16” strip stock for the rungs. The cable is button thread, properly wired to allow for sequential extension of the aerial sections by turning the cable drum at the base of the aerial. The aerial ladder on the model actually rotates and extends using a special tool to turn the cable drum. To stabilize the vehicle while the ladder is extended, jacks are pulled out from the sides of the chassis. An old television tuning wand paired with a flathead screwdriver blade are encased in a tube, which is fitted over slotted tubes on both the cable drum and raise mechanism.
The late Tom Showers was a prolific builder of model fire engines and an apparatus historian. Many of his over 450 models are on display in fire museums like the one in Los Angeles. We are privileged to have some of his models on display courtesy of model builder and fire apparatus historian, John Ackerman. Tom Showers served as John’s mentor in model making.
