1929 WHIPPET HOSE WAGON
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR. FIRE DEPARTMENT

The 1929 Whippet Hose Wagon.
This is the only photo of the Whippet known to exist. This picture was made in 1938 on the south side (Fifth Street side) of Owens
Funeral Home, which was at 5th and Main. All Firemen were lined up in front of four N.L.R.F.D. trucks. The photo has been cut to size to
show what features can be seen of the Whippet. The complete photo may be view at: http://nlrfd.com/museum/entire_dept_36.html

There is no record in North Little Rock City Council Minutes or Ordinances during 1928-1932 of a Whippet vehicle of any sort
being purchased for the Fire Department; however, NLRFD records indicate that Company 4 operated on a 1929 Whippet. The
1931 Fire Underwriters' Report states that the Whippet was put in service in the NLRFD in the later part of 1930 or very early
1931. This would indicate that this vehicle was not brand new when the NLRFD received it.

There is a picture in the Arkansas Democrat in August, 1929 of a Whippet Patrol Wagon (paddy wagon) which was purchased for the
POLICE DEPARTMENT. It is the exact same model (C-101) as the Fire Department Whippet. ( A Whippet Canopy Top Express Body
by Hercules #1121.) The model (C-101) can be determined by the six-spoke wheels. These were only used on a Whippet C-101, which
was only made in 1929 and 1930. In 1939, when a Seagrave 500 GPM Pumper was delivered to the NLRFD, the Democrat stated that an "ancient
" vehicle which was a former NLR Police Patrol Wagon and later went to the NLRFD, would be replaced. The 1939 Seagrave was Company 4
when it arrived, as pictures evidence, so there is evidence that Company 4, from some point in time prior to 1939 until the new Seagrave pumper
arrived in October, 1939 operated on a former NLR Police Paddy Wagon.



Other newpaper articles indicated that the vehicle being replaced would go to the NLR Street Department. This was during the Great Depression
, and money was hard to come by, for individuals and municipalities. It stands to reason that a standard Fire Pumper or Hose
Wagon would not be suitable for the Street Department.

Newpaper accounts in September, 1929 stated that Company 4 would respond to grass fires and that the appartus would be manned by members
of Company 1. In all liklihood, Company 4 operated on the Ford Model-T until the Whippet was transfered to the NLRFD.
Retired N.L.R.F.D. Captain James Dancy states that the Whippet ran out of the back door of Central at this time. The six-spoked
wheels of this truck indicate that this was a Whippet model C101, which was a 1 1/2 ton commercial truck made in 1929 and 1930.

The 1938 ISO Report showed Company 1 and Company 4 operating out of Central, with Company 4 as a Hose Company.
The Underwriters recommended replacing Hose Company 4 with an Engine Company. This was done the next year, when the
1939 Seagrave 500 GPM Closed Cab Pumper arrived. The Seagrave replaced the Whippet and hence the Seagrave was
known as Company 4.

An edited photo of a Whippet C101 Truck of what Hose Company 4'S 1929 Whippet looked like in all probability. The front portion
of the truck is genuine Whippet, as are the tires and wheels. The deck gun was taken from the N.L.R.F.D. photo (Top of Page) and
edited in. The seat, spotlight, steering wheel and windwhield railing were edited into the photo from other photos which are the
property of the owner of this website. (The Spotlight and Railing are from the '25 Dodge; the ladder is from the 1925 Seagrave.)

Above: Another possible view of what the 1929 Whippet of Hose Company 4 resembled.

The Original Photo from the Whippet Sales Brochure on the WKOR (http://www.wkor.org) Website that was edited(with permission)
for purposes of showing what Hose Company 4'S 1929 Whippet looked like. The Willys Overland-Knight Registry is "For those who
are interested in the preservation and restoration of vehicles powered by sleeve valve engines, or the related family of Willys-
Overland vehicles from 1903 to 1942." They have a wealth of material at their website: (http://www.wkor.org) Thanks again to this
fine organization and to Greg Gumtow, their Past President for allowing this photo to be used!