Mildenhall, Suffolk.
The men of the Mildenhall Fire Crash Rescue Department at the American Air Base have restored a 1931 Austin 7, turned it into a mini fire engine and adopted it as their mascot. It is not used in real emergencies but appears at festivals and carnivals.
M/S of the firemen leaving their HQ in a hurry. Half the men get into a large modern truck, the others climb aboard the tiny Austin. The action is speeded up like the Keystone Cops. Various shots of the men cranking up the old engine. Low angle shot of the doors to the modern truck closing. Both trucks drive away - the front wheels of the little truck lift up with the weight of the firemen on the back. Various shots of the little truck driving to an emergency followed by the big truck. The vehicles pass a large military aeroplane on the runway. M/S of burning oil on the runway, pan to the little truck arriving. The firemen use the hose from the Austin to extinguish the fire (unsuccessfully). The modern truck, parked behind, turns on its super powered foam hoses and covers the men using the hose from the Austin and puts out the fire.
The Austin was originally owned by Staff Sergeant Daniel McBride. The Fire Chief is Technical Sergeant Alvin W. Tripp.
Cuts exist - please see separate record.
FILM ID:281.1
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