"Habemus robot"! So etwas kommt bei 'Anruf 112' in Tokio, wenn die Fritteuse Feuer fängt...
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Some background:The origin of Rescue Labors dates back to 1998, when both the Tokyo fire and police departments were called out for a high risk job when a fire broke out at the Tower City skyscraper under construction in Tama. As the fire fighters dealt with the fire, the police's AV-98 Ingrams carried out a rescue of the personnel and dignitaries trapped high in the tower. The impressive potential of the Labors in this scenario led city officials to publish a tender for a dedicated fire-fighting Labor.
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
In 1999, a design competition was held, with three contenders. These were the ARV-99 Rescue Labor by Shinohara Industries (based on the AV-98 Ingram chassis of the police Labor), the CRL-98 “Pyro-Buster”, produced by Hishii Heavy Industries, and the SEE (Schaft Enterprise Europe) Type-8FF Rescue Labor.
The latter was a civil adaptation of the military Type-8 “Brocken” labor for the German Bundesheer (Army Forces). All designs offered sophisticated solutions and equipment for the fire-fighting job: Because the Rescue Labor works in high heat environments, the units were designed to be fire and heatproof to protect the pilot. To fulfill its main role of extinguishing fires, the Rescue Labors were to be equipped with a pair of water cannons, one on the forearm and one on its shoulders, fed by an internal tank and/or by an external source.
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Additionally, the competition’s rescue Labors were to deal with hazardous chemical situations. A respective protection system had to be provided, too, as well as precise manipulator fingers for delicate handling.
Detecting life under harsh conditions, in any weather and at day and night, necessitated a complex sensor suite, including a telescopic camera boom.
Schaft Enterprise Europe’s Type-8FF was the most impressive design, standing more than 10 metres tall. It was also the most powerful – but also the most bulky type, since it was originally developed for more spacious European cities.
Beyond the standard requirements the “Florian”, how the Labor was unofficially dubbed (after the Christian patron saint of firefighters), offered a huge array of extra equipment, including an extendable hydraulic crusher, an extra CO2 tank, a high performance water pump (the Type-8FF could be operated as a water manifold when it was not directly involved in rescue duties), a powerful searchlight array and a 2-ton-winch.
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Two prototypes were delivered to Japan and took part in the evaluation process, which encompassed both clinical trials as well as field tests that would prove the concepts and uncover strengths and weaknesses of the three designs.
In December 1999 the ARV-99 was chosen as primary Rescue Labor for the Tokyo Fire Department – and the rejection of SEE’s Type-8FF was even more bitter as the CRL-98 was ordered into production, too – only as a supportive vehicle, but it was also promoted to private/industrial fire-fighting units in the Tokyo region. The “Florian” did not enter production for Japan, since it was deemed to be too large for the Japanese urban environment – but it was developed further for the European market, eventually entering rescue services in Germany, France and Great Britain.
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
A final, rather disturbing note is that it is uncertain where the two Type-8FF prototypes ended up. SEE took them back into custody after completion of the competition process in early 2000, but there has been no official record or documentation that the vehicles actually left Japan. Rumor has it that they are still on private SEE ground in the Tokyo region.
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
General and technical data: Code name: Type-8FF "Florian"
Unit type: fire emergency labor prototype
Manufacturer: SEE (Schaft Enterprises Europe)
Operator: SEJ (Schaft Enterprises Japan), proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department
Rollout: April 1999 AD
Number built: 2
Accommodation: pilot only, in heat- and ABC-insulated cockpit in front torso
Dimensions: Overall height 10,50 meters
Overall width 5.40 meters
Minimum revolving radius: 6.0 meters
Weight: Standard 7.05 metric tons
Full 8.81 metric tons
Armor materials: none
Powerplant: unknown
Maximum weight lifting capacity: 4.00 metric tons
Equipment and design features: Visual and acoustic sensors, range unknown
Highly articulated manipulator hands
White and IR searchlights
2x water cannon, mounted on shoulders and on right forearm
Extendable hydraulic crusher on left forewarm
Auxillary CO2 tank, mounted on backpack
Autonomous water turbo pump for in- and external operation
Winch (2.00 metric tons)
Fixed or optional armaments: none
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
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Patlabor +++ 1:60 Schaft Enterprise Europe Type-8FF "Florian One" Rescue Labor, prototype proposed to the Tokyo Fire Department, 1999 (Whif/modified 'Brocken'Bandai kit) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
WiP-Thread: http://www.phoxim.de/forum/index.php?topic=15159.0