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 #34:

FDNY Engine 273/Ladder 129

“The Mouse House”

The thirty-fourth release of First Due Firehouse Replicas:

FDNY’s “The Mouse House”

Code 3 Collectibles produced replicas of New York City Fire Department’s Engine 273 in May, 2004, and Ladder 129 in June, 2004. These two companies are part of The Mouse House in Queens—the thirty-fourth release from First Due Firehouse Replicas.

About the Firehouse

This two-bay, two-story firehouse located at 40-18 Union Street near Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, Queens is quarters to FDNY’s Engine 273 and Ladder 129 (part of the 52nd Battalion). Known as “The Mouse House,” this firehouse is first due to the old Shea Stadium and the new Citi Field, home of the NY Mets. The building is similar to the firehouses of both Engine 155 and Engine 158 on Staten Island.

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 replicas of both FDNY’s Engine 273 and Ladder 129 (not included with firehouse purchase) in 2004.

Engine 273:

• Seagrave (series 3, #12832, 2004)

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

Location:

40-18 Union Street

Flushing, Queens, New York, NY

Years in Service:

1932-present

Companies Quartered:

1. •Engine 273 (organized 1908, quartered 1932–present)
   

2. •Ladder 129 (organized 1908, quartered 1932–present)
   

Videos:

BRAND NEW FDNY Engine 273 Responding (Code 3 response, 2023)

Release Date:

• September 2023

Dimensions:

• Base width: 8 inches

• Base depth: 12 inches

• Building width: 8 inches

• Building depth: 10 inches

• Building height: 7.5 inches

Features Included:

1. •Black base with 2 inch apron in front
   

2. •Removable roof
   

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

4. •Flag/Flagpole
   

5. •Printed firehouse fact sheet booklet
   

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.

Engine Company 273 was originally organized as Engine Company 173 on December 1, 1908, in the former quarters of volunteer Mutual Engine 1, at 40-16 Union Street in the Flushing section of the Borough of Queens. They were re-numbered as Engine 273 on January 1, 1913.

On April 27, 1931, Engine 273 was temporarily relocated to a nearby firehouse while their former volunteer fire station was replaced with a new firehouse at the same location. The address was changed to 40-18 Union Street—they occupied the new house on February 3, 1932.

On that same date, Hook and Ladder Company 129, formerly located at nearby Engine 272, was moved to the new quarters of Engine 273 which they still share. Their first alarm area presently consists of many large apartment houses, along with single family homes, retail stores, and shopping centers.

Engine 273 and Ladder 129 are the first due companies to the old Shea Stadium and new Citi Field—the home of the New York Mets National League baseball team. Their apparatus both display various Mets logos.

Code 3 Collectibles Collectors Club Newsletter,
Volume 8, No. 2, Second Quarter 2004

Ladder 129:

• Seagrave Rear Mount Ladder (series 3, #12852, 2004)