Messerschmitt Bf 109 and London Fire Brigade: Difference between pages

Revision as of 20:06, 27 December 2004

Revision as of 13:02, 3 July 2007

Line 1:

{{Infobox UK Fire and Rescue |

<!-- text begins below this table - scroll down to edit-->

| name= London Fire Brigade

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:3px; border:3px solid #87CEEB;width:30%; " align="right"

| area= [[Greater London]]

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3" align="center" style="border-bottom:3px solid"|Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6

| start= [[1865]] (originally called the [[Metropolitan Fire Brigade]], it was renamed the London Fire Brigade in [[1904]])

|-

| population= 7,517,700.

|colspan="3" align="center"|[[Image:Messerschmitt_Me109G.jpg|300px]]

| size= 609 square miles

|-

| staff= 7000

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Description

| CFO= [[Ken Knight|Sir Ken Knight]]

|-

| stations= 112 (includes one independent river station)

|Role||colspan="2"|Fighter

| HQ= [[Lambeth]]

|-

| FA= [[London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority]]

|Crew||colspan="2"|One

| map= image:EnglandLondon.png

|-

| image= [[Image:Londonfirebrigade.jpg|200px|LFB Logo]]

|First Flight||colspan="2"| Late May, [[1935 in aviation|1935]]

| web= [http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/ London Fire Brigade]

|-

}}

|Entered Service||colspan="2"|

|-

|Manufacturer||colspan="2"|[[Messerschmitt]] A.G.

|-

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Dimensions

|-

|Length||8.94 m||29 ft 4 in

|-

|Wingspan||9.92 m||32 ft 6 in

|-

|Height||2.59 m||8 ft 0 in

|-

|Wing area||16 m&sup2;||ft&sup2;

|-

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Weights

|-

|Empty||2600 kg||5700 lb

|-

|Loaded||kg||lb

|-

|Maximum takeoff||kg||lb

|-

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Powerplant

|-

|Engine||colspan="2"|Daimler-Benz 605 A

|-

|Power||1.085 kW||1.475 hp

|-

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Performance

|-

|Maximum speed||650 km/h||400 mph

|-

|Combat range||550 km||miles

|-

|Ferry range||km||miles

|-

|Service ceiling||12,200 m||40,000 ft

|-

|Rate of climb||ft/min||m/min

|-

|Wing loading||lb/ft&sup2;||kg/m&sup2;

|-

|Power/mass||W/kg||hp/lb

|-

!bgcolor="#87CEEB" colspan="3"|Armament

|-

|Guns||colspan="2"|2 &times; 13 mm MG 131<br>1x 20 mm MG 151/20 or 1x 30 mm MK108

|-

|Bombs||colspan="2"| 1x 250/500 kg or 300l drop tank

|-

|Rockets||colspan="2"|

|-

|Other||colspan="2"|

|-

|}

''('''Bf 109''' was the official Reichsluftfahrtministerium designation, though some late-war aircraft actually carried the Me 109 designation stamped onto their aircraft type plates. '''Me 109''' was the name used officially by the Luftwaffe propaganda publications as well as by the Luftwaffe personnel, who pronounced it 'may hundred-nine'. '''ME 109''' - pronounced 'emm ee one-oh-nine' - was the contemporary English interpretation of the designation.)''

<!--Do not edit or change the number of fire stations without first referring to/discussing on the article's talk page-->

The Messerschmitt '''Bf 109''' was a [[World War II]] [[fighter aircraft]] designed in the early 1930s, the first truly modern fighter of the era combining the features of all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy and a retractable landing gear.

The '''London Fire Brigade''' ('''LFB''') is the [[statute|statutory]] [[Fire service in the UK|fire and rescue service]] for [[Greater London|London]], [[England]]. It is run by the [[London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority]] and is the third-largest fire service in the world with nearly 7000 staff of which 5800 are operational firefighters and officers.<ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/az/our_staff.asp London Fire Brigade: Our staff]</ref>

The '''Bf 109''' was the standard fighter of the [[Luftwaffe]] from just before the start of the war, and spent the first half of the war locked in combat with the [[Supermarine Spitfire]]. While early in the war, the Messerschmitt usually held the altitude advantage, the advent of the Spitfire IX with its two-stage supercharger changed the balance in favour of the Spitfire. In the second half of the war, the Me 109's primary opponent became the [[North American P-51]], which was powered by a similar two-stage [[Merlin engine]] to the Spitfire, and the [[VVS|Russian]] [[Yakovlev Yak-3]] and [[Lavochkin La-5]] fighter planes.

In [[2004]] it answered nearly 300,000 emergency calls, responded to 60,000 fires and over 5000 [[Road traffic accident|traffic accidents]], making it one of the busiest fire brigades in the world. In 2005, it received over 9000 hoax calls, the highest number of all the [[fire brigades in the United Kingdom]] <ref>[http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=95b40a6b-6743-4315-8959-8325d0453dc6 BT: Hoax calls cost fire service £230,000 every day]</ref>

Though the Me 109 had some weaknesses, the most important of them a rather short range, it stayed competitive until the end of the war, with the last variant, the Bf 109K-4, matching or outperforming even the Mustang at most altitudes. The only two pilots ever scoring more than 300 aerial kills flew the Me-109 ([[Erich Hartmann]] and [[Gerhard Bakhorn]]). Though the Luftwaffe kept looking for an all-round replacement, the Me 109's fighting qualities were good enough to keep it in production during the entire war, and in the end the Bf 109 became the most produced aircraft of all time, with 33,000 examples being built.

As well as [[fire fighting]], the LFB responds to [[hazardous material]] incidents, conducts [[Emergency preparedness|emergency planning]] and performs [[fire safety]] inspections and education.

==Contest history==

It does not provide an [[ambulance|ambulance service]], this function is performed by the [[London Ambulance Service]] as an independent [[NHS Trust]], however all firefighters are trained in [[first aid]] and fire engines - or appliances as they are known - carry [[first-aid]] equipment including basic resuscitators.

During 1933 the Technisches Amt (or T-Amt, the technical department of the [[RLM]]) concluded a series of research projects into the future of air combat. The result of the studies was four broad outlines for future aircraft:

==Organisation==

<UL>

<LI>''Rüstungsflugzeug I'' for a multi-place medium bomber

<LI>''Rüstungsflugzeug II'' for a tactical bomber

<LI>''Rüstungsflugzeug III'' for a two-place heavy fighter

<LI>''Rüstungsflugzeug IV'' for a single-place fighter

</UL>

The LFEPA consists of three directorates that all report to the commissioner - currently [[Ken Knight|Sir Ken Knight]] <ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/commissioner.asp London Fire Brigade: Commissioner]</ref> - they are: Fire and Community Safety Directorate, Resources Directorate and Corporate Services Directorate. In May 2007, the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]] announced that Sir Ken had been appointed as the first [[Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser]].<ref>[Communities and Local Government News Release 099, 24 May 2007, New Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser Appointed]</ref>

The Rüstungsflugzeug IV was intended to be an all-metal monoplane single seat [[fighter aircraft]], or [[interceptor]] actually, replacing the [[Arado Ar 64]] and [[Heinkel He 60]] biplanes then in service. While it was intended the R-IV aircraft would best all others then flying, the requirements were nevertheless not terribly hard to meet.

The plane needed to have a top speed of 400 km/h at 6000 m (250 mph at 19,500 ft) which it could maintain for 20 minutes, while staying in the air for a total of 90 minutes. It was to be powered by the new [[Junkers Jumo 210]] engine of about 700 hp (522 kW). It also needed to be armed with at least three 7.9 mm [[machine gun]]s with 1000 rounds each, or one 20 mm cannon with 200 rounds. One other interesting specification was that the plane needed to keep wing loading below 100 kg/m&sup2;, which is a way of defining the plane's ability to turn and climb. The priorities for the plane were level speed, climb speed, and then maneuverability (in that order).

The LFB's headquarters is at [[Lambeth]], on the [[Albert Embankment]], next to the [[River Thames]], and close to [[Lambeth Bridge]], but it was confirmed in November 2005, that the brigade's headquarters will be moving to a new building adjacent to the existing [[Southwark]] training centre in 2007 <ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/detail.asp?id=744 London Fire Brigade: News]</ref>.

In fact the R-IV specifications were not really thought up inside the T-Amt at all. In early 1933 both [[Heinkel]] and [[Arado]] had sent in privately-funded designs for a monoplane fighter, and the T-Amt simply collected the best features from both and sent them back out again, adding [[Focke-Wulf]] to the tender. In May 1934 the R-IV request was sent out and made official. Each was asked to deliver three prototypes to be delivered for head-to-head testing in late 1934.

===Historical organisation===

Messerschmitt was originally not invited to the competition. Most of this was due to personal animosity between Messerschmitt and [[Erhard Milch]], director of the RLM, after an earlier airliner design of his proved a disaster in [[Lufthansa]] use, and he had also designed another airliner for the [[Romania]]ns. Nevertheless he was on very good terms with many high ranking Luftwaffe officers based on the success of the [[Messerschmitt Bf 108]] ''Taifun'' sports plane. After a delay of several months, [[Bayerische Flugzeugwerk]] (Bavarian Aircraft Manufacturers, or BFW) was finally invited to take part in early 1935, although Milch let it be known that they would never win the contract.

[[Image:LFBLogo.gif|right]]

In 1938, the LFB was organised into two Divisions: Northern and Southern, divided in most places by the [[River Thames]]. Each was commanded by a Divisional Officer. Each division was divided into three Districts, each under a Superintendent, with his headquarters at a "superintendent station". The superintendent stations themselves were commanded by District Officers, with the other stations under Station Officers.<ref name="info">London Fire Brigade, ''The London Fire Brigade: Information for Intending Candidates'', December 1938.</ref>

==Development history==

==Legislative powers==

Messerschmitt had already designed much of the Bf 109 by this point however. Like the Bf 108, the new design was based on Messerschmitt's "lightweight construction", which essentially aimed to reduce the total number of strong parts in the aircraft as much as possible. One of the more notable examples of this was the mounting of all structural points to a strong firewall at the front of the cockpit, including the wing spars, engine mounts and landing gear. Typically these would be mounted to different points on the aircraft, with a framework distributing the load among them.

[[Image:LFB Headquarters.JPG|300px|thumb|right|LFB Headquarters]]

[[Fire Service in the UK|Fire and rescue authorities]] in England come under the government department that used to be known as the [[Office of the Deputy Prime Minister]] (ODPM). This department was responsible for legislation covering fire authorities. However, in 2006, a structural change to central government led to the creation of the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]]. It is now responsible for fire and [[resilience]] in England and therefore London <ref>[http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1123799 Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website]</ref>.

The [[Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004]] changed many working practises <ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/20040021.htm Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004]</ref>, it was brought in to replace the [[Fire Services Act 1947]](amended 1959).

Another part of this construction technique was the use of a single box-spar in the wing, mounted near the leading edge. Most planes of the era used two spars, near the front and rear, but the box was much stiffer [[torsion]]ally, and eliminated the need for the rear spar.

The new act was drafted in response to the Independent Review of the Fire Service <ref>[http://www.irfs.org.uk/ Independent Review of the Fire Service]</ref>, often referred to as the Bain Report, after its author [[George Bain (academic)|Professor Sir George Bain]]. It recommended radical changes to many fire brigade working procedures and led to a [[UK Firefighter dispute 2002/2003|national fire strike]] in [[2002]].

Another major difference was the much higher [[wing loading]] than the other designs. While the R-IV contract called for a wing loading of v100 kg/m&sup2;, Messerschmitt felt that this was unreasonable; with the engines available to them, the fighter would end up slower than the bombers it was tasked with catching.

Further changes to the legislative, organisational and structural fabric of the brigade, which could include varying the attendance time, the ___location of front line pumps (fire engines) and number of personnel, plus mandatory performance targets, priorities and objectives are set by the DCLG in the form of a document called the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework. The framework is set annually by the government and applies to all brigades in England. Responsibility for the rest of the UK fire service is devolved to the various parliaments and assemblies. On UK wide issues, the [[Chief Fire Officers Association]] provides the collective voice on fire, rescue and resilience issues.<ref>[http://www.cfoa.org.uk/cfoa_public/ Chief Fire Officers Association]</ref> Membership is made up from senior officers above the rank of assistant chief officer, to chief officer or the new title of brigade manager.

A wing generates two forms of drag, [[parasitic drag]] due to its form, and [[induced drag]] which is a side effect of generating lift. The former dominates at high speeds, when the airflow hitting the wing causes drag that rises with the square of the aircraft's speed. The latter dominates at lower speeds, where the lack of airflow requires the wing to be angled into the airflow at a higher [[angle of attack]]. Since the fighter was being designed primarily for high speed flight, a smaller wing would be optimized for high speed use.

*''The Fire and Rescue Act 2004 repealed several acts, many going back fifty years. The full list of acts repealed can be found at:''[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/40021--j.htm#sch2]

The downside of such a tradeoff is that low speed flight would suffer, the smaller wing would require more airflow to generate enough lift to stay flying. In order to address this, the Bf 109 included advanced high-lift devices on the wings, including automatically opening [[slats]] on the leading edge, and fairly large camber-changing [[flaps]] on the trailing edge. When deployed, these devices effectively increase the size of the wing, making it better at low speeds and high angles of attack.

* See also: [[Fire Service in the UK]]

Another drawback of the high wing-loading is that the plane would require more energy to maneuver. Given the limited amount of power available, this effectively meant that the Bf 109 would not be able to turn as tightly as other designs with larger wings. The high lift devices would offset this to some degree, but they also increased drag and so slowed the plane further. Given that maneuverability was last on the RLM's wish-list, Messerschmitt was certain the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

==Prototypes History ==

Following a multitude of ad-hoc firefighting arrangements and the [[1666]] [[Great Fire of London]], various [[insurance|insurance companies]] established fire fighting units to fight [[fire]]s that occurred in buildings that their respective companies had insured. As the demands grew on the primitive fire brigades they began to co-operate with each other until, on [[January 1]],[[1833]], the ''London Fire Engine Establishment'' was formed under the leadership of [[James Braidwood (fire fighter)|James Braidwood]] <ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp London Fire Brigade: Key dates]</ref>. With eighty [[firefighter]]s and thirteen [[fire station]]s, the unit was still a private enterprise, funded by the insurance companies and as such was responsible mainly for saving material goods from fire.

Several large fires, most notably at the [[Palace of Westminster]] in [[1834]] <ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref> and warehouses by the [[River Thames]] in [[1861]] <ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>, spurred the insurance companies to lobby the [[UK Government|government]] to provide the Brigade at public expense and management. After due consideration, in [[1865]] the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act was passed<ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>, creating the [[Metropolitan Fire Brigade]] under the leadership of Captain (later Sir) [[Eyre Massey Shaw]]. In [[1904]] the Brigade was officially renamed as the ''London Fire Brigade''<ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>.

The first prototype (''Versuchs 1'' or ''V1'') was completed by May 1935, but the German engines were not yet ready. In order to get the designs into the air, the RLM acquired four [[Rolls-Royce Kestrel]] VI engines by trading Rolls-Royce a [[Heinkel He 70]] ''Blitz'' to test their engines on. Messerschmitt received two of these engines, and started work on adapting V1 to mount it. This work was completed in August, and V1 took flight tests in September 1935. It was then sent to the Luftwaffe Test Center at [[Rechlin]] to take part in the contest.

During the [[Second World War]], fire brigades were amalgamated into a single [[National Fire Service]]. The separate London Fire Brigade for the [[county of London]] was re-established in 1948<ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>. With the formation of [[Greater London]] in 1965, this absorbed most of the [[Middlesex Fire Brigade]], the borough brigades for [[County Borough of West Ham|West Ham]], [[County Borough of East Ham|East Ham]] and [[County Borough of Croydon|Croydon]] and parts of the [[Essex]], [[Hertfordshire]], [[Surrey]] and [[Kent]] brigades<ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>.

It was here that another side-effect of the lightweight construction started to become obvious. With the landing gear attached to the corners of the firewall, they had very little distance between the tires when opened, known as "track". This resulted in tricky ground handling, and the plane tended to "snake" around during takeoff and landing. In order to address this the gear were angled out as much as possible to increase the track, but this made them considerably weaker. In the end this design feature would prove to be the [[Achilles heel]] of the design, and a huge number of Bf 109s were written off when the gear collapsed on landing.

In [[1986]] the [[Greater London Council]] - or GLC - was disbanded and replaced by a new statutory authority, called the [[London Fire and Civil Defence Authority]] or more simply, the LFCDA<ref name=LFBHist>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_history/key_dates.asp]</ref>. On [[July 3]], [[2000]], the [[London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority]], took over statutory responsibility from the LFCDA.

By the late summer the Jumo engines were starting to become available, and V2 was completed with the Jumo 210A of 610 hp (455 kW) in October 1935. V3 followed, being the first to actually mount guns, but another 210 was not available and it ended up delaying the flight of V3 until May 1936. Like V1, V2 and V3 were sent to Rechlin after acceptance tests at the factory.

At the same time, the [[Greater London Authority]] was established to administer the LFEPA and in turn the LFB, and coordinate [[emergency planning]] for London. Consisting of the [[Mayor of London]] and other elected members; the GLA also takes responsibility for the [[Metropolitan Police Authority]], [[Transport for London]] and other functions.

The flight data of these three planes were very nearly identical. The maximum airspeed was about 470 km/h at 4000 m altitude, and the service ceiling was about 8300 m.

===Former Chief Officers===

==The Contest==

*1991 to 2003 Brian Robinson

*1987 to 1991 Gerald Clarkson

*1980 to 1987 Ronald Bullers

*1976 to 1980 Peter Darby

*1970 to 1976 Joseph Milner

*1938 to 1941 Aylmer Firebrace

== Staffing ==

After Luftwaffe acceptance trials were completed at Rechlin, the planes were moved to Travemünde for the head-to-head portion of the contest. The Heinkel design arrived first, in early February 1936, and the rest of the V1's had all arrived by the beginning of March.

===Role structure===

'''Station Ranks'''

Because most of the fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe were used to good-natured biplanes with open cockpits, light g-forces and easy handling, they were very critical about the Bf 109 at first. However it was soon a front-runner in the contest, as the Arado and Focke-Wulf entries proved to be hopelessly outdated. Perhaps this isn't surprising, considering that those entries had actually been designed two years earlier, and given the rate of change in aircraft design at the time, they really had little chance against the much more modern 109.

The traditional ranks - to the left of the column below have been replaced in the LFB, by new titles more descriptive to the job function. <ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/rank_structure.asp London Fire Brigade: Rank structure]</ref>

The only serious competition to the 109 was the Heinkel entry. Based on a scaled down ''Blitz'', the He 112 proved to be similar but different. Positive aspects of the He 112 included the wide track and robustness of the landing gear, considerably better visibility from the cockpit, and a lower wing loading that led to easier landings and better maneuverability. But the Bf 109 was 30 km/h faster than the He 112 in level flight, and also was superior in climbing and diving. But still the He 112 was the favorite of the Luftwaffe leaders.

The old titles are still in use in many of the UK's other brigades and fire authorities. <ref>[http://www.fire.org.uk/ranks/RANKs.htm FireNet: UK fire service ranks]</ref>

Orders for a further ten examples of both types were placed, and they started trickling in over the next few months. However by this point the Jumo-powered examples of both designs had arrived for testing, and the 109's better streamlining and lower drag meant that it was considerably faster given the lower-power engine.

*Firefighter

Even before the pre-production models arrived the contest was basically over. In March the RLM received news that the Spitfire had been ordered into production, and a form of mass panic broke out. On March 12 they released a document that basically contained the outcome of the contest, ''Bf 109 Priority Procurement''. Nothing occurred over the summer to change their minds, and the RLM instructed Heinkel to re-design the He 112 radically, while ordering the Bf 109 into production.

*[[Leading Firefighter]] = Crew Manager

==Bf 109A-D==

*[[Sub Officer]] = Watch Manager A

The planned Bf '''109A''' series was canceled, before production begun, because of the weak armament. Instead of this, the Bf 109 V-4 was constructed, carrying a third MG 17, mounted behind the engine, firing through the propeller axis. In the following three prototype planes, the new Jumo 210 B engine was installed. They also were armed with three machine guns and were quite identical with the Bf '''109B-0''' pre-production series.

*[[Station Officer]] = Watch Manager B

The first Bf 109 model that went in serial production, the '''B-1''', got the more powerful Jumo 210D engine.

When the new Jumo 210E engine was developed with 670 hp (500 kW), it was fitted to the cell of the Bf 109B. The resulting plane was called the '''B-2'''. These Bf 109B-2 were the first Bf 109 to go into combat. 24 of them were assigned to "Legion Condor" in Spain and demonstrated that the armament was still inadequate, so the Bf 109 V-8 was constructed to test the fitting of two more machine guns in the wings. In the following V-9 both wing guns were replaced by 20 mm MG-FF cannons. Both planes therefore had no gun in the propeller axis.

'''Senior Officers'''

So Bf '''109C-0''', the pre-production series, carried four MG 17, the '''C-1''' series was identical to this C-0. The '''C-2''' again got one machine gun in the nose, carrying now five MG 17 (but it might only have been a prototype). The '''C-3''' was tested with a 20 mm MG-FF cannon in each wing - again only prototype.

*Assistant Divisional Officer = Station Manager

The next model, the V-10 prototype, was identical to the V-8, except for the engine. It had a Jumo 210Ga engine at first, that later was replaced by a Daimler-Benz DB600A, the V-8 was fitted with a Jumo 210Da instead. The V-10, V-11, V-12 and V-13 were built (using a Bf 109B airframe) and tested with the DB600A engine to follow the goal of increasing the performance. But the DB600A was found to be unreliable and the improved [[Daimler-Benz DB 601|DB601A]] was known to be available soon so the DB600A was dropped. The Bf '''109D-0''' pre-production series fell back to the reliable Jumo210D engine, armament consist of the known four MG17 installation. Quite identical to the Bf 109D-0 was the '''D-1''' series but production was not very high in numbers and many planes were exported to Switzerland, Hungary amongst others.

*Divisional Officer = Group Manager

== Bf 109E "Emil" ==

*Senior Divisional Officer = Area Manager

To test the new [[Daimler-Benz DB 601|DB601A]] engine, with its 1.100 hp (820 kW), two more prototypes, the V-14 and V-15, were built, that differed in their armament. While the V-14 was armed with the two MG 17 above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF canon in each wing, the V-15 got the two MG 17 and one cannon firing through the propeller axis. The Bf '''109E-0''' was identical to the V-14 except for the armament, as the E-0 had two additional MG 17 in the wings instead of the MG FF in the propeller shaft.

*Assistant Chief Officer = Assistant Commissioner

The production version '''E-1''' kept the four MG 17 but most of them were later field modified to E-3/E-4 weapon standard by exchanging the wing-mounted MG 17 with MG-FF/M cannons. The '''E-1/B''' was the first operational use of a Bf 109 as fighter bomber with a 250 kg bomb carried under it's fuselage.<br>

To improve the performance of the Bf 109E, the last two real prototype planes were constructed, the V-16 and V-17. They got some structural improvements and stronger armament. These prototypes were the basis of the Bf '''109E-3''' version. They were armed with the two MG 17 and one MG FF cannon in each wing. The E-3 also received heavier armor than the E-1 and an optional improved [[Daimler-Benz DB 601|DB601Aa]] with 1.175 hp.<br>

The E-3 was replaced by the '''E-4''', (or simply upgraded to E-4 standards) which was different in some small details, most notably by the modified MG-FF/M wing cannon that fired improved explosive projectiles called "mine shells" (thus the /M) and again improved armor. The E-4 would be the base for all further Bf 109 E developments. Some E-4 and later models got an further improved 1.270hp [[Daimler-Benz DB 601|DB601N]] engine resulting in a slightly changed model number like E-4/N. The DB601N was the standard engine used in '''E-6''' and onwards production versions.<br>

The '''E-7''' was the first production series with a standardized drop tank installation to have the plane's range increased by at least 50% and many older E-series planes were upgraded to E-7 standard by upgrading armament, armor and equipment to the latest standards but often retained their older engines.

*Deputy Chief Officer = Deputy Commissioner

==Bf 109T==

*Chief Officer = Commissioner

Prior to the war the [[German Navy]] had become fascinated with the idea of the [[aircraft carrier]]. Borrowing ideas from the [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Japan|Japanese]] (mainly the [[Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi|''Akagi'']]), they started the construction of the ''[[German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin|Graf Zeppelin]]'' (not to be confused with the [[airship]] ''[[Graf Zeppelin]]'') in 1936. The armament for the carrier was settled on Messerschmitt Bf 109T fighters and [[Junkers Ju 87|Ju 87C]] dive bombers.

The ten Bf '''109T-0''' were originally Bf 109E-3, which were modified by adding a tail-hook, catapult fittings, structural strengthening and increased wingspan (to 11.08 m). Also the landing gear track was a little wider. Thus prepared, the Bf 109T probably would have been proven much better for carrier operations than the British Supermarine Seafire, a hardly modified landplane that suffered from a bad accident rate flying from carriers.

===Historical ranks===

Following the flight tests, especially the catapult tests, a series of 70 '''T-1''' with DB601N engine was to be produced at Fieseler in Kassel, but after seven T-1 were built, the carrier project was cancelled. The remaining 63 of 70 T-1 were built as '''T-2''' without carrier equipment and all T-1 "upgraded" to T-2 standard. These planes were assigned to JG 5 "Eismeergeschwader", deployed in Norway. The armament of the Bf 109T consisted of two MG 17 above the engine and one MG FF/M cannon in each wing.

The rank structure used by the London Fire Brigade in 1938 was:<ref name="info" />

*Fireman

Interest in the Graf Zeppelin grew when the value of the carrier became obvious, and in 1942 the ship was back in the yards for completion. By this time the Bf 109T was hopelessly outdated and a new fighter would be needed. Messerschmitt responded with the updated '''Me 155A''' series, but work on the ship was again cancelled and the Me 155 was later re-purposed as a high-altitude interceptor.

*Senior Fireman

*Sub-Officer

*Station Officer

*District Officer

*Superintendent

*Senior Superintendent

*Divisional Officer (4)

*Senior Divisional Officer (1)

*Deputy Chief Officer (1)

*Chief Officer (1)

===Recruitment and training===

== Bf 109F "Friedrich", aerodynamic in perfection ==

Professional firefighter training lasts about four months and takes places at the LFB's specialist training centre in Southwark. On successful completion, the newly-qualified firefighter is posted to one of the fire stations within the London area to work on a shift pattern - currently two day shifts (nine hours), followed by two night shifts (15 hours), followed by four days off. Working patterns were the subject of scrutiny in Professor Bain's Independent Review of the Fire Service.<ref>[http://www.irfs.org.uk/atoz.htm Independent Review of the Fire Service, Prof Sir George Bain Pub: 16 Dec 2002]</ref>

After February 1940 an improved engine, the Daimler-Benz [[Daimler-Benz DB 601|DB601E]], was developed for use with the Bf 109.

The constructors at the Messerschmitt facilities took a Bf 109E-1 and installed this new engine. The cell and especially the cowling were modified and in the end more aerodynamic. Its relation to the E-1 was obvious, because the trapeziform wings were taken from the E-1, but changed in the production planes. This plane was the prototype for the Bf 109F series. As the DB601E was not yet available in numbers the pre-production '''F-0''' and the first production series '''F-1/F-2''' got the 1.270 hp DB601N engine. The 1.450 hp DB601E was first used in the '''F-3''' model.

After training school, firefighters serve a one year period when they are on probation, and many choose to take formal promotion exams. Qualification and full pay are not reached until four years service has been completed. Ongoing training - both theoretical and practical continues throughout the firefighter's career.<ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/recruitment/ff_training.asp London Fire Brigade: Training]</ref>

Externally the Bf 109F differed from the E-series, resulting from many aerodynamic improvements. The stabilizer struts were removed, the cowling was shaped to be more streamlined, the big underwing radiators were much smaller, the opening for the supercharger was improved, the flaps were completely changed, the wingspan was increased to 9.92 m, and the wing tips now were formed elliptically, which supposedly caused some confusions with the Spitfire. The redesigned wing made the internal mounting of guns impractical, so armament was revised. The armament of the Bf 109F consisted of the two MG 17 above the engine plus a cannon firing through the propeller hub: The early F versions were equipped with the MG FF/M cannon, the F-2 got the 15mm [[MG 151]], and from '''F-4''' on the 20 mm MG 151/20 was used.

===Promotion===

The first Bf '''109F''' planes were not well tested, and so some planes crashed or nearly crashed, due to vibrations which caused either the wing surface to curve or break, or caused the stabilizer to break away.

In one such accident, the commander of JG 2 "Richthofen", Wilhelm Balthasar lost his life when he was attacked by a Spitfire during a test flight. Making an evasive maneuver, his wings broke away and Balthasar was killed when his plane hit the ground. When the wreck was investigated, not a single bullet hole was found.

Firefighters gain promotion by taking examinations. Until [[July 2006]], these were administered by the [[Fire Services Examinations Board]] who set national written exams for promotion to the rank of Leading firefighter, Sub-officer and Station officer (see above). <ref>[http://www.fseb.gov.uk/ Fire Services Examinations Board]</ref>

==Bf 109G "Gustav", the most produced version ==

Some promotion exams can be substituted by qualifications from the [[Institution of Fire Engineers]]. Firefighters and civilians - for example building inspectors, scientists, surveyors and other practising professionals take these qualifications either by written test or research.

When the Daimler-Benz DB605 engine was available, a new Bf 109 series, the G-series, was developed. The early versions of the Bf '''109G''' looked quite similar to the Bf 109F-4, and at first carried the same armament. The G-series saw the appearance of the notorious bulges in the cowling (caused by the DB605 (additional cooling) and by replacing the 7.92mm MG17 with 13mm MG 131 guns ('''G-5''' onwards)) and on the wings (due to larger main gear wheels, '''G-4''' onwards), leading to the Bf 109G's nickname "The Bulge" (German: "Die Beule").

Other changes included an enlarged supercharger for the DB 605 and the enlarged vertical stabilizer (G-5 onwards).

Future promotion exams will be set using the [[Integrated Personal Development System]] or IPDS. <ref>[http://www.ipds.co.uk/public/site/newsdocs112/IPDS%20Booklet.pdf Integrated Personal Development System Booklet], (PDF download)</ref>

The '''G-6''' model, the most produced Bf 109 version, had very heavy armament. The '''G-6/R6/U4''' variant was armed with two MG 131 above the engine, a [[MK 108 cannon]] shooting through the propeller axis and one MG 151/20 in each wing. The G-6 was very often fitted with assembly sets, used to carry bombs or a drop tank, for use as nightfighter, or to increase fire power by adding rockets or extra guns.

==Firefighting, special services and fire prevention==

All following Bf 109G versions were modified older Bf 109Gs. So the '''G-10''' was not an uniform type, but consisted of all kinds of Bf 109Gs being transformed partially to Bf 109G-10 specifications. The most recognizable change was the use of the "Erla-Haube" canopy. This canopy improved the pilots view, which was often criticized before. The Bf 109G-10, also called "Super-Bulge" (German: "Super-Beule"), saw a refinement of the bulges covering the breeches of the cowl mounted MG 131, these taking on a more elongated and streamlined form.

A similar varying product was the Bf '''109G-12'''. This was a two-seat trainer version of the Bf 109 and was rarely armed.

Firefighters respond to fires<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/40021--c.htm#7 Fire and Rescue Act 2004]</ref>, and special services.<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/40021--c.htm#8 Fire and Rescue Act 2004]</ref>,<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/40021--c.htm#9 Fire and Rescue Act 2004]</ref> A special service is defined as every other non-fire related emergency and includes: [[road traffic accidents]] (known by all the emergency services as RTAs, or RTCs, Road Traffic Collision), chemical incidents, persons shut in lifts, persons under trains, train crashes, waterborne rescues (most notably the Marchioness sinking in 1989) and other emergencies requiring specialist rescue personnel and equipment. The full scope of a brigade's duties and powers are enshrined in The Fire and Rescue Act 2004 <ref>Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, Crown Copyright 2004, Pub: The Stationery Office</ref> <ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/20040021.htm The Fire and Rescue Act 2004 online publication]</ref>

== Bf 109 G variants and sub-variants ==

It is important to note that contrary to what many books have published the installation of "Rüstsatz" (add-on kit) did not change the designation of the aircraft. The "U" suffix attached to the aircrafts is supposed to refer to "Umbausatz" (conversion kits). While a Rüstatz was mostly stuff to add-on like additional weapons, Umbausatz required major modifications to gear the aircraft to a particular role such as photoreconnaissance.

Firefighters and in some cases specialist teams from the brigade's Fire Investigation unit also investigate [[arson]] incidents, work alongside the police and provide evidence in court.

'''Known Variants'''

The other core duty of the brigade is to 'prevent damage', and day-to-day fire prevention duties.

'''G-1''' (Pressurized fighter);

G-1/R2 (Lightened high altitude fighter - GM1, and armor removed);

G-1/U2 (High altitude fighter with GM1);

G-1 Trop (Never actually existed a &#8220;made up&#8221; version);

===Firefighting cover===

'''G-2''' (Light fighter);

G-2/R1 (Fighter-bomber- 2 underwing drop tanks, extra tail wheel);

G-2/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-2 Trop (Tropicalized fighter);

The London Fire Brigade provides fire cover according to a system of four risk categories, these have traditionally been used across the UK, where every building is rated from '''"A" risk''' to '''"D" risk''' <ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/fire_cover.asp London Fire Brigade: Fire cover]</ref>. The risk category determines the minimum number of appliances to be sent to an incident:

'''G-3''' (Pressurized fighter); - based on G-1 with new radio equipment; only 50 built

'''"A" risk'''

'''G-4''' (Reconnaissance fighter)

G-4/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-4/R3 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-4 Trop (Tropicalized Reconnaissence fighter);

G-4/U3 (Reconnaissance fighter with MW50);

G-4y (Command fighter);

Areas with high density of large buildings and/or population, for example office blocks or factories.

'''G-5''' (Pressurized fighter);

G-5/U2 (High altitude fighter);

G-5/U3 (Fitted with MW-50);

G-5/AS (High altitude fighter with DB605AS);

G-5/AS/R2 (High altitude Recon with DB605AS);

G-5y (Command fighter);

Three fire engines to be sent within eight minutes, the first two to arrive within five minutes.

'''G-6''' (Light fighter);

G-6/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-6/R3 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-6 Trop (Tropicalized fighter);

G-6/U2 (Fitted with GM-1);

G-6/U3 (Fitted with MW-50);

G-6/U4 (MK108 30 mm engine cannon);

G-6y (Command fighter);

G-6/AS (High altitude fighter with DB605AS);

G-6/ASy (High altitude command fighter);

G-6/N (Night fighter);

'''"B" risk'''

'''G-8''' (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-8/R5 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-8/U2 (Fitted with GM-1);

G-8/U3 (Fitted with MW-50);

Areas with medium density of large buildings and/or population, for example multi-storey residential blocks.

'''G-10''' (Light fighter with DB605D engine);

G-10/R5 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-10/R6 (Heavy fighter - two additional 20 mm guns);

G-10/AS (High altitude fighter with DB605AS);

G-10/U4 (Fitted with MK 108 30 mm engine cannon);

Two engines deployed, one within five minutes, the second within eight minutes.

'''G-12''' (Two-seat trainer); built from older G-1/G-5 usually with R3 (300l drop tank)

'''G-14"C" risk''' (Light fighter);

G-14/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter);

G-14/R6 (Heavy fighter - two additional 20 mm guns);

G-14/AS (High altitude fighter with DB605AS);

G-14/U4 (Fitted with MK 108 30 mm cannon);

G-14y (Command fighter);

G-14/ASy (High altitude command fighter);

Low density suburban areas and detached properties.

'''G-16''' (Fighter Bomber); based on G14 with additional armor - production started but soon after war was over

One fire engine to be sent within ten minutes.

===Most common Umbausatz numbers=== '''U1''' special propeller; '''U2''' GM1 boost; '''U3''' MW50 boost; '''U4''' 30 mm MK108 engine cannon<br>

===Common Rüstsatz numbers=== '''R1''' belly bomb rack for 250 or 500 kg bomb; '''R2''' wing bomb racks for 4x50 kg bombs or 2xWGr21 rockets; '''R3''' belly drop tank (300l); '''R4''' two 30 mm MK108 underwing gunpods; '''R6''' two 20 mm MG151/20 underwing gunpods

'''"D" risk'''

== Bf 109H/K, last developments ==

More rural areas not covered by bands A-C.

Somewhere between the drawing board and full production was the Bf '''109H'''. This was a special high-altitude fighter, developed from the Bf 109 F series. The wingspan was increased to 11.92 m, the stabilizer again received a strut leading to the fuselage, and it was also widened. In fact was only a low number of Bf 109 H-0 and H-1 were produced, because of problems with vibration.

One fire engine to be sent within twenty minutes.

More of the planes of the Bf '''109K''' "König/Kurfürst" series saw duty. This series was the evolution of the Bf 109G-10, being very similar, at least the K-0, K-2 and K-4 models. In the K-6, K-8 and K-14, the armament saw some changes. The K-6 like the K-8 was planned to carry two MG 131 above its engine, one MK 108 in each wing and a MK103 behind its propeller hub. The engine gun was changed in the K-14 and replaced by a MK 108.<br>

Only the '''K-4''' saw action in numbers, approximately 700 being delivered to squadrons before the end of hostilities. Armament consisted of a 30 mm MK108 engine-mounted cannon and two 13mm MG131 in the nose with optional wing armament (20 mm or 30 mm cannons and/or R4M rockets).<br>

The Me 109K-4 was the fastest 109 of WW2 reaching ~455 mph (~730 km/h)

'''"Mutual assistance"'''

== Developments after the war ==

The Fire and Rescue Act 2004, gives brigades the power to assist other brigades or fire authorities in what is known as mutual assistance.<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/40021--c.htm#13 Fire and Rescue Act 2004]</ref> The LFB played a comprehensive role in assisting Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service with the Buncefield oil fire in 2005.

After the end of the war, some Me 109s were produced in the CSSR ([[Czechoslovakia]]) as the [[Avia S-99]] and [[Avia S-199]], modified Me 109G-14s, the latter with a [[Junkers Jumo 211]]F engine. In Spain, a modified Me 109G-2, called the [[Hispano Ha 1112]] was built with various engines fitted.

The brigades that adjoin the LFB are as follows:

Also the original Bf 109, produced before 1945, remained in service a long time after the war. The former German ally Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. Hungarian 109's were destroyed in Germany by their own crew on 6th may 1945. The Finnish air force did not retire their Bf 109 Gs until the mid 1950s. In Israel, the Czech Avias were used in combat against Egyptian Spitfires until 1949. The Spanish Hispanos, however, flew longer. Some were still in service in the middle of the 1970s. Later, they appeared in films, playing the role of the Bf 109. Some Hispano fuselages were sold to museums, which rebuilt them as Bf 109s. The Swiss used a lot of Me-109G planes well into the 1950's.

* [[Essex County Fire and Rescue Service]] [http://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/]

* [[Kent Fire and Rescue Service]] [http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/index.php?pageid=1]

* [[Surrey Fire and Rescue Service]] [http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/home?openpage]

* [[Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service]] [http://www.rbfrs.co.uk/]

* [[Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service]] [http://www.bucksfire.gov.uk/bucksfire]

* [[BAA plc|BAA]] The LFB also mobilises several of its appliances to support BAA firefighters at London's [[Heathrow Airport]], and firefighters at [[London City Airport]]

===Determining the size of an incident===

== External links and sources ==

The LFB, along with all UK fire and rescue services determines the size of a fire or special service by the final number of pumping and special appliances despatched to deal with it. For example, two appliances are despatched to a B risk area in response to a fire call in a residential house. The officer-in-charge can request additional appliances by transmitting the radio message, "Make pumps four" or if persons are believed involved, "Make pumps four persons reported".<ref>[http://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/Docs/BrigadeOrders/Operations/Operations%20No%203%20Part%202%20-%20Incident%20Command%20Radio%20Messages%20-%20Main%20Radio%20Scheme.pdf Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, Operational Note 3 (in the public ___domain, accessed 22 May 2007)]</ref> The control room will then despatch a further two apllicances making the total up to four. Informally firefighters refer to such fires as 'a make up' or 'a four pumper'

* http://www.adlertag.de

<ref name="wallington">Fireman! A Personal Account, by Neil Wallington, Pub David & Charles, 22 Feb 1979, ISBN 0-7153-7723-X</ref>, when the fire is out, if no other pumping appliances were despatched, this would be recorded as a four pump fire.

* http://www.messerschmitt-bf109.de

* http://109lair.hobbyvista.com

* http://www.bf109.com

If an incident is more serious, it can be escalated straight to a six, eight or ten pump fire and beyond - in London, this is usually completed in even numbers. But it's not uncommon for a ten pump fire to be 'made up' to 15 as a large fire would need an additional five appliances. A call to a serious warehouse fire could be escalated straight to a ten pump fire, the May 2007 [[Cutty Sark]] fire required eight pumps<ref name="press">[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/latest_incidents.asp London Fire Brigade: Latest information on incidents in London, 21 May 2007 (accessed 22 May 2007)]</ref>, as a serious incident escalates, the brigade deploys senior officers and command and control vehicles, from command and brigade headquarters, plus specialist appliances. One example of a 25 pump fire, was the blaze at [[Alexandra Palace]] in [[1980]],<ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/detail.asp?id=475 London Fire Brigade press release pr149/02 24 September 2002 (accessed 22 May 07)]</ref> The King's Cross fire was a 50 pump fire. Pumping appliances can only operate with a minimum crew of four, and a maximum of six (although this is rare) so it is possible, as a rule-of-thumb, to work out the number of firefighters attending an incident by multiplying the number of pumps by five. The Cutty Sark fire was described as "an eight pump fire attended by 40 firefighters".<ref name="press">[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/latest_incidents.asp London Fire Brigade: Latest information on incidents in London, 21 May 2007 (accessed 22 May 2007)]</ref>

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:5px auto; clear:both; border:3px solid;width:60%; font-size:small;" align="center"

!bgcolor="#e0e0e0" colspan="2" align="center" style="border-bottom:3px solid"|Related content

|-

|'''Related development'''

|align="center"|

|-

|'''Similar aircraft'''

|align="center"|

|-

|'''Designation series'''

|align="center"|

[[Klemm Kl 106|Kl 106]] -

[[Klemm Kl 107|Kl 107]] -

[[Messerschmitt Bf 108|Bf 108]] -

[[Messerschmitt Bf 109|Bf 109]] -

[[Messerschmitt Bf 110|Bf 110]] -

[[Heinkel He 111|He 111]] -

[[Heinkel He 112|He 112]]

|-

|'''Related lists'''

|align="center"|

[[List of military aircraft of Germany]]

|-

|}

===Special services===

{{airlistbox}}

Core services are paid for by London's [[council tax]] payers and through central [[UK Government|government]] funding - known as a grant settlement; and each council tax payer's bill will include what is known as a precept - a specific part of their bill that contributes to the funding of the FRS. Those in need of the LFB's services in an emergency do not pay. But the brigade can provide additional special services for which it may charge where there is no immediate threat to life or imminent risk of injury.

[[de:Messerschmitt Bf 109]]

[[fr:Messerschmitt BF109]]

[[nl:Messerschmitt Bf 109]]

[[ja:&#12513;&#12483;&#12469;&#12540;&#12471;&#12517;&#12511;&#12483;&#12488;Bf109]]

[[pl:Messerschmitt Bf 109]]

[[sv:Messerschmitt Bf 109]]

Examples of these special services which may be charged for are:

[[Category:German fighter aircraft 1930-1939]]

* clearing of flooded commercial premises

* use of Brigade equipment for supplying or removing water

* making structures safe in cases where there is no risk of personal injury to the public

===Safety and fire prevention===

LFB firefighters and 'watch officers' visit residential and commercial premises to advise on hazard risk assessment and fire prevention. They also provide safety education to schools and youth groups. Each of the London boroughs has a central fire safety office that collates and coordinates fire prevention work in accordance with legislation, and they are supported by a dedicated team of specialist officers.

== Fire stations ==

*[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/contact_us/az_stations.asp Alphabetical list of fire stations from the LFB website]

*[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/az/borough_profiles0506.asp LFB borough profiles with detailed information about every station, types of appliances and number fo calls in 2005/6 ]

The LFB has 112 fire stations, including one completely independent river station across the 33 [[London boroughs]].<ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about_us/our_organisation.asp London Fire Brigade: Our Organisation (accessed 16 Jan 07)]</ref> They are staffed 24 hours per day by full-time members of the brigade, and are linked to a command and control centre located in [[London Docklands|Docklands]] <ref>[http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=122260 PR Newswire: London Fire Authority's New Command and Control System Goes Live]</ref>. This centre was opened in 2004, calls to it are fed from 999 operators at [[BT Group|BT]].

Some UK fire authorities use part time, or retained firefighters who live and work near their local station and are on-call, but the LFB is one of only two UK fire services where all operational staff are full-time employees. Each Station has four shifts, known as watches: red, white, blue and green; with a watch commander (Station Officer or Sub Officer) in charge. The overall management of the station is carried out by the Station Commander (Assistant Divisional Officer), who will also attend serious incidents, as well as spending time on call.

A group of one (City of London) to six (Tower Hamlets) stations within a borough are managed by a Borough Commander (Divisional Officer) who interacts strategically on a local level with the Borough Commander for the police and the chief executive of the local authority.

More than half of the LFB's fire stations have two fire engines or appliances, also known as pumps. These are generally the busier stations receiving over 2000 calls (known colloquially by firefighters as "shouts") per year. They may also be stations of strategic importance, or those located in areas considered high risk. The remaining stations have a single pump (actually known as a pump ladder or DPL) and generally attend fewer than 2000 calls per year. Many stations also have other specialist vehicles attached to them such as aerial ladders, fire rescue units, hose layers, urban search and rescue trucks, high volume pumps, incident support units, and scientific support units that assist with [[Hazmat]] incidents.

[[Central London]] stations can attend up to 8000 calls in a year, inner city stations about 3000 to 4000 calls per year (these tend to be the stations that are busy serving the poorer densely-populated areas), and outlying or suburban fire stations may attend around 1500 calls which include road traffic accidents, grass fires and house fires.<ref>[http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/az/az_stations.asp London Fire Brigade: A-Z of fire stations]</ref>

Architecturally, fire stations vary in age and design from [[Edwardian]] red-brick fire houses to modern spacious blocks complete with additional specialist facilities <ref>[http://www.firefleet.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=20 Firefleet.co.uk gallery of London fire stations]</ref>. Early fire stations were originally built with horse-drawn appliances in mind and with traditional features such as the [[firemen's pole]], used by firefighters to gain rapid access from their upstairs accommodation quarters to the fire engine garages below when summoned. The oldest working station in London is at [[Clerkenwell]] between the [[City of London|City]] and the [[West End of London|West End]].

More modern fire stations, though constructed without such features, often have more spacious accommodation and facilities for staff of both sexes, public visitor areas such as community safety offices and other amenities. An example of these is the new fire station in [[Hammersmith]] which opened in 2003 <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2977963.stm New £7.7m fire station at Hammersmith], 2003</ref>, just a few hundred yards along the [[Shepherd's Bush]] Road from the previous local fire station which had been constructed in 1913 <ref>[http://www.hammersmithtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&page=oldfirestation.htm Hammersmith Today: Old fire station set to be a pub]</ref>.

==Notable incidents==

The geographical area covered by the LFB along with the major transport infrastructure; and the political, business and administrative bases typical of a capital city has seen the brigade involved in several major incidents. A major incident, which used to be known as a major accident requires the implementation of an inter-agency response to a pre-determined contingency plan.

Any of the emergency services can initiate '''Major Incident Procedure''' usually from an officer on the ground. In legislative terms, in the UK the most senior fire officer is in charge of any incident involving fire, any other is the responsibility of the police, however as in the case of the [[July 2005 London bombings|2005 London bombings]] multiple major incidents were declared by the fire service for the Aldgate and Edgware Road bombs, and by the [[London Ambulance Service]] for the Tavistock Square bus bomb. When a major incident is declared the services along with civilian agencies use a structural system known as [[Gold Silver Bronze command structure|gold command]] that allows them to follow a set procedure for incident management. Put simply gold command relates to strategic control of an incident, silver command tactical and bronze operational. The term gold command can also relate to an emergency service building, mobile control unit or other base that becomes the focal point (often remotely) for the incident's management.

Additionally, a major incident can lead to the government activating its coordination facility, known as [[Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms|COBR]].

Some notable major incidents where the LFB has played a significant role:

* '''[[Cutty Sark]] fire, [[Greenwich]], [[21 May]] [[2007]].''' Although no lives were endangered and a major incident procedure was not initiated, the incident attracted the interest of national news media, and the unusual circumstances made this a notable incident.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6675381.stm BBC News website: Blaze ravages historic Cutty Sark]</ref>

*'''[[2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire|The Buncefield Fire]], [[11 December]] [[2005]].''' The UK's biggest peacetime blaze. Although the major incident at the [[Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal]] was attended by the LFB, it was assisting neighbouring fire brigade [[Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service]], to the north of London, whose area or 'ground' the incident took place in.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/read_this/buncefield_explosions/ BBC News website: Beds, Herts and Bucks]</ref>

*'''[[7 July 2005 London bombings|July 7]] and [[21 July 2005 London bombings|July 21]] 2005 London Bombings.''' Multiple major incidents across London in which firefighters worked to MIP after close assessment enabled by the LFB's specialist equipment.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/7/newsid_4942000/4942238.stm BBC News wesbsite: on this day 7 July 2005]</ref>

*'''[[Paddington train crash|The Paddington Train Crash]], [[5 October]] [[1999]].''' Often referred to as the Ladbroke Grove Crash due to it occurring on the stretch of line in that area, two trains collided a short distance outside of Paddington Station, killing 31 people <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/5/newsid_2493000/2493593.stm BBC News website: on this day 5 October 1990]</ref>

*'''[[Cannon Street station rail crash|Cannon Street Train Crash]], [[8 January]] [[1991]].''' Two people were killed and over 500 injured <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/8/newsid_4091000/4091741.stm BBC News website: on this day 8 January 1991]</ref>

*'''[[Marchioness disaster|The Sinking of the Marchioness]], [[20 August]] [[1989]]''' The pleasure boat the Marchioness was struck by the dredger Bowbelle killing 51 people. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/20/newsid_2500000/2500211.stm BBC news website on this day 20 August 1989]</ref>

*'''[[Clapham Junction rail crash|The Clapham Train Crash]], [[12 December]] [[1988]].''' A packed commuter train passed a defective signal and ran into the back of a second train, derailing it into the path of a third coming the other way. The crash killed 35 people and seriously injured 69 others.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/12/newsid_2547000/2547561.stm BBC News website: on this day 12 December 1988]</ref>

*'''[[King's Cross fire|The King's Cross Fire]], [[18 November]] [[1987]].''' Fire broke out under a wooden [[escalator]] leading from one of the underground station platforms to the surface. The blaze and resulting smoke claimed 31 lives, including that of a Station Officer from [[Soho]] fire station, Colin Townsley.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/18/newsid_2519000/2519675.stm BBC News website: on this day 18 November 1987]</ref>

*'''[[Moorgate tube crash|The Moorgate Tube Train Crash]], [[28 February]] [[1975]].''' A [[London Underground]] train failed to stop and crashed into the [[Buffer stop|buffers]] at the end of a tunnel. The driver and 42 passengers were killed.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/february/28/newsid_4298000/4298307.stm BBC News website: on this day 28 February 1975]</ref>

*'''[[Provisional IRA campaign 1969–1997|The IRA bombing campaign (1970s to 1990s)]]''' Throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, several major bombings were carried out in London by the [[Provisional IRA]]. A list of these and other bombings in London to which the LFB responded can be found under [[London bombings]].

== The LFB and popular culture ==

*'''Fire Wars:''' In 2003, the BBC followed the arson investigators of the LFB's [[Fire Investigation Unit]] (FIU). The two-part series, broadcast in July 2003, looked at how the LFB investigated '4000 fires where the cause was unknown'. The second programme ''Fire Wars: Murder Most Foul'' centred on one investigation.<ref> Fire Wars, Produced by Folio/Mentorn for BBC Television transmitted on [[1 July]] [[2003]] & [[8 July]] [[2003]]</ref>

* '''London's Burning:''' The television series [[London's Burning]], shown on [[ITV]] was based on the fictional LFB 'Blackwall' fire station. The series centred on characters on the Blue [[Watch system|Watch]]. It was originally a [[1986]] television film, written by [[Jack Rosenthal]]. The fire station used as the principal ___location in the drama was the LFB's [[Dockhead]] near [[London Bridge]].<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095537/ London's Burning: The Movie], (IMDB)</ref>. The television series that followed the film ran from 1988 to 2002. <ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123355/ "London's Burning" TV series], (IMDB)</ref>

* '''Fire!:''' The LFB's Kingsland Road fire station in [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]], east London was the focus of a documentary series by [[Thames Television]] for ITV, broadcast in the spring of 1991. ''Fire!'' <ref>Fire! Produced & directed by Chris Oxley/Laurel Productions for Thames Television/ITV transmitted in 1991</ref> The documentary caused an internal inquiry by the LFB after scenes were shown of firefighters having a food fight at a Christmas party in one of the programmes. Several watch members from Kingsland Road were suspended after the programme was broadcast on [[27 June]] [[1991]].<ref>Ban on Party Firemen, Another TV Row, Pub Daily Mail, [[28 June]] [[1991]]</ref>

* '''Fireman! A Personal Account:''' Former London firefighter [[Neil Wallington]] wrote an account of his experience in the LFB called ''"Fireman! A Personal Account"'', it was published in 1979.<ref name="wallington">Fireman! A Personal Account, by Neil Wallington, Pub David & Charles, 22 Feb 1979, ISBN 0-7153-7723-X</ref> He chronicled his transition from a firefighter in the [[Croydon Fire Brigade]] through to his reaching the rank of [[Station Officer]] in the LFB. He went on to become the [[Chief Fire Officer]] of [[Devon Fire and Rescue Service]] and has written several books about the fire service all over the world. ''Fireman!...'' outlined the change in working conditions in the LFB in the [[1970s]], a time that saw the working hours of firefighters drastically reduced, and conditions improved.

* '''Red Watch:''' The former [[ITN]] newsreader [[Gordon Honeycombe]] became friendly with Wallington while he was a Station Officer at [[Paddington]] fire station. In 1976, Honeycombe published an account of a serious fatal fire at a hostel in [[Maida Vale]], in [[1974]] that claimed the lives of seven people including one firefighter. The resulting book was called ''"Red Watch"'', <ref>Red Watch: The best seller about a fire and the men who fought it, by Gordon Honeycombe, Pub Arrow, [[17 May]] [[1976]], ISBN 0-09-126310-7 </ref> it provided a graphic account of a single incident, and outlined some of the changes to working practises that resulted from it.

== References ==

<div class="references-small">

<references/>

</div>

== See also ==

===Fire related===

* [[Fire service in the United Kingdom]]

* [[Chief Fire Officers Association]]

* [[Cyril Demarne]]

* [[Fire Service College]]

* [[FiReControl]]

* [[Institution of Fire Engineers]]

* [[London Fire Brigade Museum]]

* [[Eyre Massey Shaw]]

* [[Portal:Fire]]

===Other emergency services===

* [[London Ambulance Service]]

* [[London Air Ambulance|London Air Ambulance (HEMS)]]

* [[Metropolitan Police Service]]

* [[RNLI|Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)]]

==External links==

* [http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/ London Fire Brigade]

* [http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1123799 Dept for Communities and Local Govt: Fire]

* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts.htm#acts Cabinet Office: Acts of the UK Parliament]

* [http://www.fbu.org.uk/index.php Fire Bigades Union]

* [http://www.ipds.co.uk IPDS]

* [http://www.lfbsite.com/ LFBsite (unofficial) featuring pictures of fire stations]

* [http://www.eustonfirestation.com/ A23 Euston Fire Station (unofficial) site]

* [http://www.poplarfirestation.com/ F22 Poplar Fire Station (unofficial) site]

* [http://londonfirejournal.blogspot.com/ London Fire Journal]

* [http://firefightingnews.com/united-kingdom.cfm UK Fire News]

* [http://www.lfbshop.co.uk Official London Fire Brigade Online Shop]

{{UK fire service}}

[[Category:1904 establishments]]

[[Category:Fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:London Government]]

[[Category:London organisations]]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lambeth]] <!---Headquarters building--->

[[fr:London Fire Brigade]]