FIRST DUE FIREHOUSE REPLICAS

About the Owner/Designer/Builder/Author

Andrew Benzie began collecting model emergency vehicles in the 1970s when his grandparents gave him his first Corgi and Dinky toy fire engines. He has an extensive collection and knowledge of Code 3 models, and has published three books on Conrad, Siku, and Tomica emergency vehicles. Andrew currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where he runs a design and book publishing company, and plays bass and drums with several local bands.

First Due Firehouse Replicas

Release #27:

Chicago Fire Department

Engine 124/Truck 38

“Hole in the Wall Gang”

The twenty-seventh release of First Due Firehouse Replicas:

Chicago Fire Department’s Engine 124/Truck 38

Code 3 Collectibles produced a highly-detailed replica of Chicago Fire Department Engine 124 in April of 2006 and Corgi Classics produced a replica of its stablemate Truck 38 in 1995. To complete the 1950s-1970s era lineup for this popular firehouse among diecast manufacturers, Racing Champions produced a replica of Battalion 10 in 1999 and Greenlight produced a model of a generic Ford Club Wagon Ambulance in 2021 which can be easily numbered for Ambulance 32.

Chicago Fire Department’s busy Engine 124/Truck 38/Ambulance 32/Battalion 10 Firehouse is located five miles north of downtown Chicago—this museum-quality replica is the twenty-seventh release from First Due Firehouse Replicas.

About the Firehouse

Engine 124/Truck 38’s firehouse is located in the Albany Park district of Chicago—this area experienced extensive growth following the extension of the Ravenswood branch of the Elevated Line in 1907. By the 1920s the area had grown to include numerous commercial areas and apartment buildings.

The lot at 4426 North Kedzie Avenue was purchased by the City of Chicago on July 13, 1915. The first firehouse built on the property was a one-bay, two story brick building constructed in 1916. This building was razed in 1964 to make room for a new firehouse which was built on the same site in 1965.

About the Replica

First Due Firehouse Replicas goes to great lengths to capture as much accuracy and detail as possible within each model we produce. Once the research is completed and a firehouse is chosen to replicate, the process involves taking photographs, creating an architectural building plan, assembling and editing the photos to digital 1:64 scale artwork, printing the artwork on glossy poster-quality paper and mounting the prints to foam-core board. Next the walls are cut out using a professional-quality mat cutter (to achieve 45° angle cuts for joins), and each model is then assembled by hand. Additional exterior details are added including air conditioning units, railings, exhaust vents, etc. Finally, remaining small details are hand-painted, the custom-built apparatus bay doors are installed and the raising of the flag completes each firehouse replica.

Fore more information about this product, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page. If have any further questions, please Contact Us.

Code 3 Collectibles produced a replica of Chicago Fire Department Engine 124 in 2006 (not included with firehouse purchase).

Engine 124:

• American LaFrance Century Series (#12863, 2006)

About the Apparatus

How to Order

You may Place an Order for any of our products online. Once we receive your order we will contact you via email with more information about availability, payment, shipping costs, etc.

About Us     Firehouse Replicas     Custom Models     Fleet Services     FAQ     Contact/Order

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About Us     Firehouse Replicas     Custom Models     Fleet Services     FAQ     Contact/Order

Racing Champions produced a replica of Chicago Fire Department Battalion 10 in 1999.

Battalion 10:

• 1956 Chevrolet Nomad (Fire Rescue USA Series #11, #94720, 1999)

Corgi Classics produced a replica of Chicago Fire Department Truck 38 in 1995 (in 1:50 scale). The model included the plastic tillerman figure.

Truck 38:

1. •Mack B Series Aerial Ladder Truck (#52701, 1995)

Location:

4426 North Kedzie Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

Years in Service:

1965–present

Companies Quartered:

1. •Engine 124 (organized 1916 quartered 1965–present)
   

2. •Truck 38 (organized 1925 quartered 1965–present)
   

3. •Ambulance 32
   

4. •Battalion 10

Release Date:

• December 2022

Dimensions:

• Base width: 9.5 inches

• Base depth: 14 inches

• Building width: 9.5 inches

• Building depth: 12 inches

• Building height: 6 inches

Features Included:

1. •Black base with 2 inch apron in front
   

2. •Removable roof
   

3. •Working apparatus bay doors (slide them into any position with the touch of a finger)
   

4. •Flags/Flagpoles
   

5. •Printed firehouse fact sheet booklet
   

6. •Apparatus re-number sheet (a poster-printed sheet of apparatus numbers you can use to convert existing models into units quartered in this firehouse)
   

Pricing:

Our introductory price for this firehouse replica is $339 plus shipping (Note: the models of the apparatus are not included). The price covers the cost of the photo-quality prints (starting at about $50), the building materials (various paper, foam, plastic, wood and metal products), and around eight hours of time to construct (not including the many hours of preparatory research and design time spent to create each prototype model). Note: We create each or our replicas by hand—this is NOT a 3D printed or laser cut model.

Greenlight produced a replica of a generic Chicago Fire Department Ambulance in 2022.

Ambulance 32:

• Ford Club Wagon Ambulance (Greenlight #30242, decals by First Due Shops, 2021)

The new three-bay firehouse included separate apparatus bays for the engine and truck company, and a shared bay for the ambulance and battalion chief. The firehouse has a traditional red bench located in front between apparatus bays, typical of many Chicago firehouses. What appear to be two militia-era toy soldiers bravely stand guard on either side of the firehouse.

The “Hole in the Wall Gang” slogan is in reference to a hole in the wall in the basement where the foundation of the original firehouse can be seen.