The Jelcz 004 was a heavy fire engine built by the Jelczańskie Zakłady Samochodowe on its own heavy truck chassis. In the Polish fire service it was designated GCBA 6/32, and it was big and capable enough to become the standard heavy appliance of the state fire brigades rather than of the volunteer units.
Jelcz 004 at a glance
| Maker | Jelczańskie Zakłady Samochodowe, Jelcz |
|---|---|
| Type | heavy fire engine (ciężki samochód pożarniczy) |
| Chassis | Jelcz P315MS and P325DS |
| Engine | turbocharged diesel |
| Gearbox | six-speed |
| Cab | four seats for the crew |
| Water tank | 6,000 litres |
| Foam tank | 600 litres |
| Pump | A32, 3,200 litres per minute |
| Polish designation | GCBA 6/32 |
| Firefighting on the move | possible |
| Modernised version | 004M, 1979 |
This page is based on a single source, the Polish Wikipedia article on the Jelcz 004.
History of the Jelcz 004
The 004 was the heavy appliance of the Jelcz fire-fighting range, built by the factory on its own P315MS and P325DS chassis. Those chassis carried a turbocharged diesel engine and a six-speed gearbox, and the cab was laid out for a crew of four. The vehicle was intended for the state fire service, where its size was an advantage; the same generation was too large for most volunteer brigades, which preferred lighter appliances on Star chassis.
The equipment made the 004 a genuine heavy pump. A steel water tank held 6,000 litres and a separate tank carried 600 litres of foam concentrate, while the A32 pump delivered 3,200 litres per minute. The vehicle was prepared to fight a fire while on the move, and it could feed two monitors or four delivery lines at the same time. That combination of a large water load and a powerful pump is what the GCBA 6/32 designation describes: a heavy appliance with a 6,000-litre tank and a 32-hectolitre-per-minute pump.
The type proved a success in the state fire service and was developed further. A single prototype of the Jelcz 006/1 with the GCBA 11/45 designation was built in 1976, and the Jelcz 010 (GCBA 5/32), with a six-seat cab, appeared as two prototypes in 1986 before series production in the 1990s. The 004 itself was modified into the 004M in 1979, and examples served for decades with fire brigades and, later, museums and collectors.
Design and features
- Heavy Jelcz chassis: the P315MS and P325DS truck chassis with a turbocharged diesel and a six-speed gearbox.
- Large water load: a 6,000-litre tank plus 600 litres of foam concentrate.
- A32 pump: 3,200 litres per minute, enough for two monitors or four lines at once.
- Pumping on the move: the appliance could attack a fire while driving.
Jelcz 004 versions
- Jelcz 004: the standard heavy appliance, GCBA 6/32.
- Jelcz 004M: the 1979 modification of the type.
- Jelcz 006/1: a single GCBA 11/45 prototype built in 1976.
- Jelcz 010: the GCBA 5/32 successor, two prototypes in 1986 and series production in the 1990s.
The 004 was the heavy counterpart of the smaller Jelcz 005, which used a Star chassis, and both were built on the truck technology of the Jelcz 300 family. More vehicles are in the Jelcz collection.
Video: Budowa i działanie samochodu pożarniczego GCBA 6/32 Jelcz 004 – film szkoleniowy KGSP 1987
Video by prl998 on YouTube.
Sources
- Jelcz 004, Polish Wikipedia: chassis, equipment, designation, modifications and successors
