This is my new Matchbox Blaze Blitzer Fire Truck. It's a very cool addition to my collection. As I was looking to find a suitable place to photograph this one, I took a close look at it. Initially, I thought it might be a airport fire truck due to it's self contained nature. But, then I noticed the crown on the door and realized that this Matchbox Fire Engine is probably inspired by European fire trucks. Here in the United States most fire trucks carry some of their heaviest hoses externally along the sides.
The angled windows and the headlights on this Matchbox model strongly resemble Scania fire trucks.
Here is a similar cab in Hastings Fire Service.
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| Hastings 561 - Type 3 Scania Fire Appliance - photo By Derek Qiinn (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
This Scania fire engine in Lausanne, Switzerland, shows the external doors and the roofline in more detail and again the same angle for the windows.
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| Fire Engine in Switzerland By Rama (Own work) [CeCILL (http://www.cecill.info/licences/Licence_CeCILL_V2-en.html)], via Wikimedia Commons |
The presence of a fire nozzle on the roof of the Matchbox Blaze Blitzer brings me back to Scania Airport fire trucks.
You'll see more similarities in this Manchester airport fire engine.
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| Manchester Airport Fire Engine - By pit-yacker [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Ultimately, the inspiration truck doesn't matter as long as the Matchbox Blaze Blitzer makes it to the fire on time!
I have a few other fire vehicles in my collection. For example, this
Chevrolet Corvair Fire Chief's car is pretty cool as is this
Johnny Lightning Fire Chief's car.
