The Rosenbauer Simba was the first airport crash tender built by the Austrian manufacturer Rosenbauer International AG. A 6×6 prototype designed by the painter Kristian Fenzl was shown at Interschutz in Hanover in 1980, and the later S line on Titan chassis served airports such as Frankfurt and Munich until production ended in 1996.
Rosenbauer Simba at a glance
| Maker | Rosenbauer International AG, Austria |
|---|---|
| Type | airport crash tender |
| First shown | 1980, Interschutz, Hanover |
| Prototype design | Kristian Fenzl |
| Prototype chassis | Reylond Bougton, Mercedes-Benz engine |
| S line chassis | Titan Spezialfahrzeugbau |
| Models | Simba 6×6, 6×6s, 8×8s |
| Production | until 1996 |
| Successor | Rosenbauer Panther |
| 8×8 weight | up to 45 tonnes |
| 8×8 engine | two Liebherr, 919 kW (1,250 hp) |
| 8×8 capacity | 11,600 l water, 2×600 l foam, 2 t powder |
Based on the English and German Wikipedia articles on the Simba.
History of the Rosenbauer Simba
The prototype
The Simba was Rosenbauer’s first airport crash tender. Its prototype was designed by the painter Kristian Fenzl, used a chassis from Reylond Bougton and a Mercedes-Benz engine, and was developed with a 6×6 drivetrain, a glazed cabin and a yellow paint scheme. In 1980 the vehicle was shown at the Interschutz event in Hanover, Germany.
The S line
Later Rosenbauer used chassis from Titan Spezialfahrzeugbau GmbH to build its S line, namely the Simba 6×6s and 8×8s. The Simba was developed specifically for the requirements of Frankfurt Airport and was used by the airport fire services of Frankfurt am Main, Munich and other airports.
Simba 8×8
The Simba 8×8 weighs up to 45 tonnes and is based on a four-axle chassis from Titan Spezialfahrzeuge with axles from Kessler + Co. It is driven by two Liebherr engines with 4,800-SP retarder torque converter gearboxes from Allison Transmission. With a displacement of about 31,400 cm³ the Simba reaches up to 919 kW (1,250 hp), accelerates from 0 to 80 km/h in 25 seconds and has a top speed of 125 km/h. Its water tank holds 11,600 litres, supplemented by two foam tanks of 600 litres each and two tonnes of firefighting powder. For delivering these agents the Simba has a foam-water monitor at the front and one on the roof, a quick-attack installation and a powder monitor at the front.
Simba 8×8 HRET
The Simba 8×8 HRET is also based on an air-sprung four-axle all-wheel-drive Titan chassis. Its water tank holds 12,500 litres, with two foam tanks of 750 litres each and 500 kg of powder. The vehicle carries a firefighting arm through which water, foam and powder can be delivered from a height of up to 15 m, plus a further monitor at the front and a quick-attack installation in one of the equipment compartments. It accelerates from 0 to 80 km/h in 21 seconds and reaches 140 km/h.
Simba 6×6
The Simba 6×6 is the small version of the type and was built on a three-axle chassis from the former Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern (EWK). It accelerates from 0 to 80 km/h in 23 seconds and reaches a maximum of 125 km/h; its water tank holds 8,500 litres, its two foam tanks 500 litres each, and it carries 500 kg of powder.
End of production
Production of the Simba stopped in 1996 so that Rosenbauer could concentrate on the Panther, the model that succeeded it.
Design and features
- Purpose-built chassis: Titan four-axle chassis for the S line and an EWK three-axle chassis for the 6×6.
- Twin engines: the 8×8 uses two Liebherr engines with Allison retarder torque converter gearboxes.
- Large agent load: up to 12,500 litres of water, foam tanks and firefighting powder on the 8×8 HRET.
- Firefighting arm: the 8×8 HRET can deliver water, foam and powder from up to 15 m.
- Multiple monitors: front and roof monitors, a powder monitor and a quick-attack installation.
Rosenbauer Simba versions
- Simba 6×6: the small version on an EWK three-axle chassis, 8,500 l of water and 125 km/h.
- Simba 6×6s: the S line version on a Titan chassis.
- Simba 8×8s: the large S line version with two Liebherr engines and up to 45 tonnes.
- Simba 8×8 HRET: with an articulated firefighting arm and 12,500 l of water.
The Simba was replaced by the Panther in 1996. More vehicles are in the Rosenbauer collection.
Sources
- Rosenbauer Simba, English Wikipedia: prototype, models, end of production
- Rosenbauer Simba, German Wikipedia: chassis, engines, capacity, operators
