The Jelcz 005 was a medium fire engine built by the Jelczańskie Zakłady Samochodowe on a Star 244L chassis supplied by the truck factory at Starachowice. In the Polish fire service numbering it was a GBA 2,5/16, and its bodywork with lift-up aluminium shutters gave it a set of popular nicknames.
Jelcz 005 at a glance
| Maker | Jelczańskie Zakłady Samochodowe, Jelcz |
|---|---|
| Type | medium fire engine |
| Chassis | Star 244L (FSC Starachowice) |
| Polish designation | GBA 2,5/16 |
| Engine | S-359 diesel, 150 hp |
| Gearbox | ZF S5-45, five-speed |
| Cab | type 642, type 678 from 1987 |
| Water tank | 2,500 litres |
| Crew compartment | four seats |
| Series production | from 1975 |
| First series | 638 units, 1975-1979 |
| Modernised | Jelcz 005 M, 1979 |
This page is based on a single source, the Polish Wikipedia article on the Jelcz 005.
History of the Jelcz 005
Jelcz had been building fire engines on Star chassis since 1958, when the Jelcz 001 appeared on a Star 21 chassis. Each new Star model brought a corresponding fire appliance with the next number, and the range also included the Jelcz 028, a modification of the Star A-25P. In the early 1970s the growing chemical and timber industries created new fire risks, and the appliances then in service were outdated; the first design assumptions for a new medium appliance were drawn up at the start of 1971. A serious refinery fire at Czechowice-Dziedzice on 26 June 1971 pushed the authorities into a large programme of modernising the fire service, and the new medium appliance was part of it.
Two prototypes were shown in 1972, built on a prototype Star 244L chassis with a type 642 cab; the final prototype followed at the end of 1974. The prototypes were finished in silver with the Star logo, three Jelcz logos, red shutters, red wheel arches and a black bumper. Series production began in 1975 and reached full scale a year later: 638 examples of the first series were built between 1975 and 1979.
At the end of 1979 both Star and Jelcz changed the model, and the updated appliance became the Jelcz 005 M, with better crew comfort and an improved pump installation thanks to a larger tank and a smaller dead space. In 1983 production difficulties led to the simplified Jelcz 008, which replaced the pump with a motor pump, and the 1987 modernisation of the Star 244L brought a matching update of the 005. The bodywork was the reason for the nicknames Cola, Pepsi and Tarka: it was the first Polish series fire engine with lift-up aluminium roller shutters, which reminded people of the vans used to deliver soft drinks.
Design and features
- Star 244L chassis: the S-359 diesel of 150 hp and a ZF S5-45 five-speed gearbox.
- 2,500-litre tank: a steel water tank in the working compartment, with lockers for fire-fighting equipment.
- Roller shutters: lift-up aluminium shutters, a first for a Polish series fire engine.
- Long service life: the type was updated in 1979, simplified into the 008 in 1983 and modernised again in 1987.
Jelcz 005 versions
- Jelcz 005: the original appliance with the type 642 cab.
- Jelcz 005 M: the 1979 modernisation with better comfort and a revised pump installation.
- Jelcz 008: a simplified version of 1983 with a motor pump instead of the pump.
- 1987 specification: the Star 244L update with the type 678 cab.
The 005 was the medium appliance below the heavy Jelcz 004, and its Star chassis was the same base used for the Jelcz 080 bus. More vehicles are in the Jelcz collection.
Video: Samochód pożarniczy GBA 2,5/16 – film szkoleniowy KGSP (ok. 1979)
Video by prl998 on YouTube.
Sources
- Jelcz 005, Polish Wikipedia: origins, prototypes, production figures, construction and nicknames
