DUAL PURPOSE TRUCKS

DP 1

The DP 1 was designed primarily as a water transfer vehicle to keep major foam vehicles supplied at aircraft crash fires.  With a built-in foam tank and round-the-pump proportioner system, it was also capable of producing foam through sidelines and was often equipped as domestic vehicle on airfields.  Some variants (DP1A) were also fitted with screens and monitors for dealing with special risks such as Bloodhound Missile sites.

Chassis:

Engine:

Water Tank Capacity:

Foam Liquid Tank Capacity:

Thorneycroft Nubian 4 X 4

Rolls Royce B81 Petrol

 700 Gallons

35 Gallons

DP 2

With a bigger water tank and 20X monitor, the DP 2 was a larger and more effective version of the DP 1 .  It's only drawback was it's very limited locker space.

Chassis:

Engine:

Water Tank Capacity:

Foam Liquid Tank Capacity:

Thorneycroft Nubian TFA 6 X 6

Rolls Royce B81 Petrol

 1000 Gallons

50 Gallons

DP 3

Although the DP 3 was primarily for rapid transfer of water to major foam vehicles it was in many ways a fore-runner to the Mk 9, having a large monitor capable of throwing aspirated foam over a long distance(170 ft). With hydraulically operated valves it was considerable more “high tech” than earlier DPs.  The only surviving example of this truck can be seen at the aviation museum of Malta.

Chassis:

Engine:

Water Tank Capacity:

Foam Liquid Tank Capacity:

Thorneycroft Nubian TFA 6 X 6

Rolls Royce B81 Petrol

954 Gallons

55  Gallons

Below is a YouTube video showing the manufacturing process of the first batch of DP1s back in the 1950s