1952 Air Force ambulance, 1957 fire truck up for bid

Both vintage vehicles used exclusively by the U.S. Air Force

Vintage vehicle enthusiasts, listen up! The Department of Defense is auctioning two 1950s collectible military trucks to the public via its online auction site Government Liquidation (www.GovLiquidation.com).

The 1952 Air Force ambulance and a 1957 Air Force aircraft rescue and firefighting truck were built exclusively for the U.S. Air Force and are currently on display at Barksdale AFB. Now, the public will have a chance to purchase these unique vehicles for personal use; starting bid for each is $150.

About the ’52 USAF Ambulance: Built by Chrysler Corporation in 1952 for exclusive use by the USAF, the Dodge M43 4x4 ambulance truck is painted “Air Force blue” with emergency logos on its sides and back; it also has the customary swing-out spare tire mount (with the spare tire) on the driver’s side door. This particular type of ambulance was produced from January 1951 to July 1954, with a few delivered after that date. It has a Chrysler engine with a six-cylinder manual transmission and runs off of diesel fuel; the ambulance will need some work to get it back up and running again as parts of it have weathered and gone missing throughout the years. We like the idea of fixing it up for historical display.

For more information on the ambulance auction, please visit: http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=5730021&convertTo=USD

About the ’57 USAF Fire Truck: During the Korean War, American LaFrance (a premiere maker of emergency vehicles) produced this type of aircraft rescue and firefighting trucks for the USAF. This model O-11B 6x6 truck was one of the last produced and in service to the Air Force from 1957 until the mid 1970s. The truck was used under all climactic conditions for combating aircraft fires and providing fire protection services for unconventional fuel fires, aircraft maintenance and support of Air Force structural fire fighting units. It is an all-weather vehicle with a fire extinguishing capacity of 1100 gallons and its fire pump is powered by an eight-cylinder engine. It can traverse rough terrain at high speeds and start extinguishing fires immediately upon reaching the scene. The truck can accommodate a crew of five but can be effectively employed with two firefighters. With a little TLC this truck can be used for its intended purpose, although we like the idea of using it for historical display or turning it into a museum.

For more information on the aircraft rescue and firefighting truck auction, please visit: http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=5730225

Online bidding for each vehicle begins Oct. 18 at 12 a.m. ET and closes Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. ET. Minimum bid for each is $150. The winning bidder of each vehicle will be required to trailer or tow them out.