Crew up together for this airport fire tender driving and fire fighting experience for two!

This immaculate Alvis RIV fire truck has all the power, hoses, and water onboard that you need to drive to the fire - and put it out - on these fun experiences at Bicester Heritage.

These fire tenders were primarily built by Alvis to be in attendance at military airfields. They are surprisingly quick for a hefty appliance, living up their moniker RIV (Rapid Intervention Vehicle).

Capable of carrying 2275l water and 150l of fuel, the truck can reach 0-80kph in 23 seconds, as the 9 litre V6 turbo engine whizzes down the tarmac to attend to an emergency landing on the runway. This Alvis fire tender is in tip-top condition and was demobbed from the MoD with very few miles on the clock.

It now has a new lease of life, giving you a fantastic insight into being a firefighter, with the opportunity to drive it and get those hefty hoses working too. So open those big, wide doors and hop into the cab into the driving seat.

As the engine roars into life, get the sirens and lights going and you’re off on your call out. After tackling some tricky driving manoeuvres, you’re on the scene. It’s time to hand over to your crewmate who’ll be taking control of the incident.

The first task is to get the roof-mounted hose (called the monitor) going. The aim is to dampen the ground beyond the flames, to stop the fire spreading out of control. Pumping out over 1000l/minute it’s pretty impressive!

Next task is to identify the fire’s hot spots. This is done with the aid of a thermal camera. Then you'll need to set about extinguishing the fire, using the hand-held hoses.

With a pressure of around 40 bar you’ll need to be steady on your feet for this bit. And to give you an idea of the force at your fingertips, your typical shower head has around 1 bar of pressure!

Our top airport fire tender driving tip: if you both want to have a go at both driver and firefighter roles, go for the extended two-driver voucher, which gives you time at the wheel and on the hoses.