Code 3 LA City/City of Hope Bell 412 Helicopter (12604)

This is Item #12604

Scale: 1/64
Release: December 2003
Edition Quantity: 1,500


City of Hope / LA City FD Bell 412 Helicopter

Code 3 Collectibles is releasing the Los Angeles Fire Department Bell 412 Helicopter Air Operations Unit 3.

The red, white and blue color scheme is unique for an LAFD helicopter. After over 20 years without a crash LAFD Air Ops was destroyed in an accident; the department needed an immediate replacement and they approached City Council for assistance. LAFD received a replacement form DWP (Department of Water and Power) in this color scheme. The department was not able to repaint the vehicle before it had to be placed into active duty. And that's how LA City came to have a red, white and blue helicopter.

The replica will be painted in the red, white and blue paint scheme. The design is a graphically bold patriotic tribute. In addition, the landing pad will feature the easily recognizable City of Hope logo.

City of Hope, a world-renowned research and treatment center for cancer and other life-threatening diseases, is one of 15 participating centers in the Early Lung Cancer Action Project. This study aims to improve screening techniques that could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. While there has been no conclusive study to link exposure to smoke while performing firefighting duties with an increased risk in lung cancer, certain regional studies have shown a slightly increased risk.

Investigators at City of Hope established for the first time a link between a carcinogen in cigarette smoke and lung cancer. Smoking materials are the 7th leading cause of domestic fires in the U.S. and fires caused by smoking materials cause more civilian deaths than any other type of fire. (The U.S. Smoking-Material Fire Problem, NFPA, April 2001)

The helicopter will come with a City of Hope landing pad, a certificate of authenticity, and special City of Hope packaging.