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Revell Germany 1/24 Schlingmann HLF 20 (MAN TGM Euro 6)


martinfan5

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Hilfeleistungslöschgruppenfahrzeug (short: HLF, transl. assistance rescue fire fighting crew vehicle) is the name for a type of German fire engines of various sizes.
This vehicle type is closely related to the Löschgruppenfahrzeug (fire fighting crew vehicle) and thus is also designed for carrying a crew.
The essential difference to a Löschgruppenfahrzeug (LF) is the extensive technical equipment for rescue assistance carried on the HLF.

HLFs are the most versatile vehicles in German emergency response. They have evolved from the LFs, when the firefighters realized, that their range of tasks increasingly
shifted from mere firefighting to provide all sorts of technical assistance in emergencies. Thus they started to equip their LFs with ever more equipment for accident
and disaster assistance. Even before their standardization, the HLFs could handle all conceivable situations, like traffic accidents, dangerous and hazardous missions,
civil protection, and of course conventional firefighting.
The standardized HLF is a relatively new type of vehicle of the German fire brigades, for which the first DIN standards were established at the beginning of the 21st century.
Previously, many fire departments used their own designs, which often didn't comply with any current standards for fire engines.
Initially the term HLF was coined for these non standardized vehicles.

The first standard was set for a HLF 20/16 (nowadays HLF 20) in November 2004. In 2007 the standard for the smaller HLF 10/6 (nowadays HLF 10) followed,
which is based on the former standard for the LF 8/6 with additional equipment for technical assistance.
In the old abbreviations, the first number stands for the nominal flow rate of the fire pump in 100 liters per minute (e.g 20 = 2,000 liters) at 10 bar delivery pressure;
the number after the slash denoted the (minimum) volume of the on board water tank in 100 liters (e.g 16 = 1,600 liters). Despite there are also vehicles with larger water tanks
(for example, HLF 20/20 with a 2,000 liter water tank), they are now subsumed under the respective terms within the new DIN designations, thus this has become obsolete
and is hence omitted.

The HLF 20, which the Revell kit depicts, is the largest version of this type of standardized vehicles. The standard is defined in DIN 14530 part 27.
It has a 1,600 liter water tank, carries 120 liters of foam concentrate, and 12 kg of dry powder. The pump can deliver 2,000 liters of water per minute at a pressure of 10 bar.
It has a smaller water tank than a LF20, thus can carry more equipment for technical assistance. This includes

- a full hydraulic rescue set (with rescue spreader, rescue shears and rams)
- full traffic accident securing kit
- multiple pneumatic tools
- two inflatable escape chutes
- a four-part scaling ladder (or alternatively two multifunction ladders)
- a three-part extension ladder
- a jumping sheet
- four breathing apparatus
- respiratory protection monitoring system
- two manhole covers
- four light chemical protective suits
- electric power generation and flood lighting equipment
- a submersible pump
- a power saw and reciprocating saws
- fans and a chimney toolbox.

Some, but not all, are also fitted with

- a winch
- a load of barriers to combat water damage situations
- fall protection equipment
- hazardous materials removal equipment and oil booms.

Some even have four-wheel drive.
The maximum allowed mass is 15 tonnes, except in Bavaria, where they are now allowed to have a maximum mass of 16 tonnes.
All of them are fitted with retarders, thus they are exempt from the 80 kph speed limit for vehicles over 7.5 tons GVW.

Edited by Junkman
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You are very welcome.

I realize that these German fire engines are relatively unspectacular looking compared with what some American fire stations are able to display on open doors day,
but you have to consider, that the requirements are very different indeed. In Germany, the emphasis is on versatility and maneuverability.
In a densely populated country with good infrastructure, big tanks aren't necessary, because there are hydrants everywhere, unless there is a lake/pond/river
nearby to deploy the submersible pumps. The vehicles have to be relatively small to be able to be driven on the narrow streets of old towns as well as
narrow twisty roads in mountainous or rural areas. The 15/16 ton max mass is due to being able to cross even smaller bridges.
And the standardization of the vehicles is not due to a genetic German obsession for it, it has a very practical background.
In case of big disasters, like the recent train wreck for example, rescue crews from numerous surrounding stations respond. Due to the standardization,
all crews can operate each others apparatus, thus crews can team up to handle the most imminent rescue tasks without facing unfamiliar equipment.

 

Edited by Junkman
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