Several of previous Thornycroft Nubians in this collectable Oxford series have been modelled on those deployed in an airport environment and our fifth release is no exception, this time attached to one of the most famous British airfields of them all, Duxford.

Transport Equipment Ltd's Thornycroft Nubian Major was first introduced in 1966 as a high performance crash tender chassis carrying increased loads of foam and water supplies delivered by the roof mounted monitor and separate hand lines. Powered by a Cummings V-8 diesel engine the 18 ton vehicle could exceed a speed of 60 m.p.h. Carmichael's 'Jetranger' was quickly adapted by many airport and military authorities worldwide with several fire engineering firms producing airport fire engines on the chassis.

On our 1:76 scale replica (11.7cm in length), the Duxford Airport Fire Services lettering features along the sides of the appliance, which is registered PUS 270M from 1973/74. The intricate cab and tender roof detailing is amazing, as is the high level of paintwork, from the main red body colour to detailed yellow, black and silver masking operations. The black and silver radiator grille features the elongated Thornycroft ‘T’ badge. A tiny detail comprises the Duxford Airport Fire Services crest which is printed on both the cab doors. The crest, which reads Duxford Airport Fire Services, depicts a figure on a winged horse. It is a modified version of the original more detailed RAF Station Duxford crest which had the motto Verrimus Caelum – We sweep the skies. Evocative indeed!