JRM Mars | |
---|---|
General information | |
Type | Flying boat |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Glenn L. Martin Company |
Status | Retired (final flights underway) |
Primary users | United States Navy (historical)
|
Number built | 7 |
History | |
Manufactured | 1945–1948 |
Introduction date | 30 November 1943 |
First flight | 23 June 1942 |
Retired | 1956 (USN) 2024 (Civilian) |
Developed into | Martin 193 |
The Martin JRM Mars is a large, four-engined cargo transport flying boat designed and built by the Martin Company for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the largest Allied flying boat to enter production, although only seven were built. The United States Navy contracted the development of the XPB2M-1 Mars in 1938 as a long-range ocean patrol flying boat, which later entered production as the JRM Mars long-range transport.
Four of the surviving aircraft were later converted for civilian use to firefighting water bombers. Two of the aircraft remained based at Sproat Lake just outside of Port Alberni, British Columbia, with one, the "Hawaii Mars", remaining in operation until 2016. On March 28, 2024, the British Columbia Aviation Museum announced it acquired the aeroplane from Coulson Aviation. It flew on its last flight to Victoria on August 11, 2024. On the evening of Wednesday, August 21, 2024, just after 9:00 pm, the "Hawaii Mars" was on a 360-degree rotating trailer as it crept across the active taxiways of Victoria Airport towards the British Columbia Aviation Museum. It will become part of a permanent display there, taking the museum's "Crown Jewel" title. [1]
On April 25, 2024, it was announced that "Philippine Mars" will be acquired by the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona to be put on permanent display there. [2] It is due to be flown there later in the year. It entered the Sproat Lake water for powered testing November 04, 2024. [3] It flew on a test flight December 03, 2024. [4]
The Glenn L. Martin Company scaled up their PBM Mariner patrol bomber design to produce the prototype XPB2M-1 Mars. [5] The XPB2M-1 was announced on 8 November 1941. Delayed by an engine fire during ground runs, the aircraft first flew on 23 June 1942. After flight tests with the XPB2M between 1942 and 1943, she was passed on to the Navy. The original patrol bomber concept was considered obsolete by this time, and the Mars was converted into a transport aircraft designated the XPB2M-1R. The Navy was satisfied with the performance and ordered 20 of the modified JRM-1 Mars. [5] The first, named Hawaii Mars, was delivered in June 1945, but with the end of World War II the Navy scaled back their order, buying only the five aircraft which were then on the production line. [6] Though the original Hawaii Mars was lost in an accident on the Chesapeake Bay a few weeks after it first flew, the other five Mars were completed, and the last delivered in 1947.
Named the Marianas Mars, Philippine Mars, Marshall Mars, Caroline Mars, and a second Hawaii Mars, the five production Mars aircraft entered service ferrying cargo to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands on 23 January 1944. [7] The last production airplane (the Caroline Mars) was designated JRM-2, powered by 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines, and featured a higher maximum weight and other improvements. On 4 March 1949, the Caroline Mars set a new world passenger load record by carrying 269 people from San Diego to San Francisco, CA. [8] On 5 April 1950, the Marshall Mars was lost near Hawaii when an engine fire consumed the airplane after her crew had evacuated. The remaining "Big Four" flew record amounts of Naval cargo on the San Francisco-Honolulu route efficiently until 1956, when they were beached at NAS Alameda. [5]
In 1959, the remaining Mars aircraft were to be sold for scrap, but a Canadian company, Forest Industries Flying Tankers (FIFT), was formed and bid for the four aircraft and a large spares inventory. The company represented a consortium of British Columbia forest companies, and the bid was accepted and the sale completed in December 1959. The four aircraft were flown to Fairey Aviation at Victoria, British Columbia, for conversion into water bombers. The conversion involved the installation of a 27,000 L; 7,200 US gal (6,000 imp gal) plywood tank in the cargo bay with retractable pick-up scoops to allow uploading of water while the aircraft was taxiing. The scoops allowed 27 tonnes (27 long tons; 30 short tons) of water to be taken on board in 22 seconds. Later some of the hull fuel tanks were replaced with water tanks. [9]
The Marianas Mars crashed near Northwest Bay, British Columbia, on 23 June 1961 during firefighting operations; all four crew members were lost. Just over a year later, on 12 October 1962 while parked onshore at the Victoria airport, the Caroline Mars was damaged beyond repair by Typhoon Freda when she was blown 200 metres/yards, breaking her back. [10] The Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars had their conversion into water bombers advanced and entered service in 1963. [5] They appeared at local airshows, demonstrating their water-dropping ability. Flying Tankers Inc. flew the water bombers to hot spots around the province when a need developed, such as in August 2003, when a large forest fire threatened the outskirts of Kelowna, British Columbia.
On 10 November 2006, TimberWest Forest Ltd. announced they were looking for buyers of the Mars. A condition of sale was that the purchaser would have to donate one plane back to Port Alberni when they were retired, as a historic attraction. [11] The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum and British Columbia Aviation Council initiated a joint effort to preserve the aircraft, one for display in Maryland and the other at the current location in Canada. [12] On 13 April 2007, TimberWest announced the sale of both aircraft to Coulson Forest Products, a local forestry company in Port Alberni, British Columbia. The two surviving tankers were operated by Coulson Flying Tankers from their base at Sproat Lake near Port Alberni until their retirement in 2024. On 25 October 2007, the Hawaii Mars ("Redtail") arrived at Lake Elsinore in southern California, on a private contract, to assist with firefighting efforts at the California wildfires of October 2007. Meanwhile, the Philippine Mars had been undergoing "extensive maintenance and renovation" and was expected to be ready to fly again by 2010. [13] As of 13 August 2009 [update] , the Hawaii Mars was in service fighting the La Brea Fire east of Santa Maria in Southern California.
The aircraft can carry 7,200 US gal (27,000 L; 6,000 imp gal) of water and each deployment can cover an area of up to 4 acres (1.6 hectares). The aircraft can also carry up to 600 US gal (2,300 L; 500 imp gal) of foam concentrate for gelling the load drop. [14] They are mainly used to fight fires along the coast of British Columbia and sometimes in the interior. As of July 29, 2010, the Martin Mars was being used to fight the Mason Lake/Bonaparte Lake fire north of Kamloops. [15]
On 23 August 2012, the Coulson Group announced that the Philippine Mars, due to its lack of use for five years, would be retired and flown to the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida to become a static exhibit. The aircraft was repainted to its original U.S. Navy colors and was to have been delivered to the museum in November 2012. [16] After many delays, the trade deal of transferring the aircraft to the museum was put on hold by the Navy in June 2016, pending the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential election. [17]
On 10 May 2013, the B.C. provincial government announced that the Hawaii Mars would no longer be placed on contract after the 2013 season, due to not having been used to fight any B.C. fires for two years and the operation of newer and more versatile aircraft by the Coulson group including a Lockheed C-130 Hercules converted to firefighting use. Although Coulson has stated that the Hawaii Mars has been under numerous recent upgrades to make it safer and more reliable, [18] no buyers have come forward to purchase the aircraft. Coulson also cautioned against any plans to open the aircraft as a tourist attraction, citing the 2013 closure of the Flying Tankers Bomber Base Museum from poor attendance. [19]
In May 2015, the Hawaii Mars received a small contract to be used briefly for training Chinese pilots. This was done using the Martin Mars to evaluate against civil certification regulations by the International Test Pilots School on how to handle such a large amphibious aircraft. The pilots would be involved with the Chinese state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China as they got ready to launch their forthcoming AVIC AG600 airplane. [20] Subsequently, in July 2015, the airplane was put back in service after public outcry, being awarded a 30-day contract from the BC Government to help with a particularly bad fire season. [21]
In 2016, the Hawaii Mars made its first appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in hopes of being sold or leased to a new home or business. [22] One of the pilots on the way to Oshkosh was well-known Kermit Weeks.
In January 2022, the Hawaii Mars was the subject of multiple news articles when it was placed on sale by the company Platinum Fighter Sales for over $5 million. [23] [24] In June 2023, plans were being finalized for the transfer of the Hawaii Mars to the British Columbia Aviation Museum. [25]
On April 1, 2024, Coulson Aviation released a formal statement, publicly announcing that Hawaii Mars would be donated to the British Columbia Aviation Museum, located at the Victoria International Airport in North Saanich, BC. [26] Since this announcement, preparations have been underway onsite at the Sproat Lake Bomber Base in Port Alberni. On March 28, 2024, the province of British Columbia provided a $250,000 grant to "protect and preserve" the plane that had been instrumental in protecting the forests of the West Coast. [27]
On April 25, 2024, Coulson Aviation released a formal statement, publicly announcing that Philippine Mars would be donated to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Coulson Aviation plans to have both remaining Martin JRM Mars aircraft delivered to their museums by the end of 2024. [28] This development was foreshadowed by Coulson's donation of Hawaii Mars to the British Columbia Aviation Museum, announced just weeks before.
On June 4, 2024, Coulson Aviation announced that they would offer two tiers of "VIP Experience Packages" to paying customers wishing "to get up close and personal with their Martin Mars water bombers." [30] These packages were described in $5,000 and $15,000 USD tiers. After realizing local demand and popularity, Coulson added a $1,000 CAD "Alberni Residents" tier, which required proof of address to purchase.
The VIP Experience Packages included a base "Water Taxi" package. "This experience will consist of a detailed walk around the airplane and participation in the daily inspection with the maintenance team." The top tier was the "Pilot Recurrency" Package. "This is for our hardcore aviation enthusiasts who dream of getting behind the controls of a 100,000 lb (45 t), 10,000 hp (7,500 kW) behemoth." The VIP Experience Program sold out in 3 days. [31]
On August 1, 2024, Hawaii Mars took flight for the first time since 2016, [32] making further preparation for the ferry flight to Patricia Bay on August 11, 2024. [33] The aircraft flew for a short period after experiencing a technical issue shortly after departure that required the in-flight shutdown and feathering of the number-four engine. After repairs, the aircraft performed multiple other test flights coinciding with its "VIP Experience" program.
On August 10, 2024, Hawaii Mars was flown around the Beaufort Range and Comox Glacier accompanied by a Short Skyvan photo ship. On board were photographers tasked with capturing Hawaii Mars prior to her retirement for various magazines and news media outlets including Skies Magazine. [34]
On August 11, 2024, the Hawaii Mars embarked on what would be its final flight before retiring to the British Columbia Aviation Museum in North Saanich BC. The aircraft was piloted by Peter Killin (captain) and Rick Matthews (first officer). Because of safety concerns for the departure and flight sequences, very limited details were made available to the public leading to the fight. Hawaii Mars departed Sproat Lake for the final time slightly behind schedule at around 3:40pm local time. The aircaft made low passes of the Sproat Lake Bomber Base, Port Alberni Harbour Quay, and the city, before embarking on its journey around multiple communities "with a flight path from Port Alberni to Campbell River, Powell River, then back to Comox and down the coast to Victoria." Hawaii Mars was accompanied by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds during the closing segments of the final flight to Patricia Bay in North Saanich. The arrival of Hawaii Mars at Patricia Bay was live streamed on YouTube. [35]
On August 14, 2024, Hawaii Mars was carefully maneuvered past breakwaters at the Patricia Bay Coast Guard station. [36] In the following days, the aircraft was carefully jacked onto a custom-built 360-degree swivelling trailer by Nickel Brothers, in preparation for an overnight move onto airport land to her parking spot at the British Columbia Aviation Museum.
On August 21, 2024, Hawaii Mars was transported from the Patricia Bay Coast Guard Station to her parking spot at British Columbia Aviation Museum by crews at Nickel Bros, a company known for moving large structures without requiring disassembly. [37] The move was completed successfully at approximately 9:15pm local time. [38] At present, the aircraft is viewable from a distance, and is scheduled for its official ribbon cutting ceremony on September 28, 2024. [39] [ needs update ]
On December 3, 2024, Philippine Mars flew for the first time since 2007 as part of a series of test flights before its final ferry to the Pima Air and Space Museum. Due to a crack found in one of the original engines, An operational engine from Hawaii Mars in Victoria was removed and replaced with a static engine for display purposes. The operational engine was then transported back to Port Alberni where it was installed on Philippine Mars. The final flight will see it travel to a yet to be announced lake, where it will be dismantled and transported to its final resting place. [4]
On December 11, 2024, Philippine Mars took off from Sproat Lake for what was to be its final departure en route to its first stop in San Francisco. However, as the plane flew towards Nanaimo, a loss of oil pressure in the #2 engine necessitated its shutdown; the Mars returned to Sproat Lake shortly afterward without further incident. Three days later, on December 14, Coulson Aviation posted on their Instagram that the Philippine Mars would attempt another departure at 10:00 AM PST on December 15. [40] [41]
Data fromJane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II [6] [52]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717. The KC-135 was the United States Air Force (USAF)'s first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratofreighter. The KC-135 was initially tasked with refueling strategic bombers, but it was used extensively in the Vietnam War and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm to extend the range and endurance of US tactical fighters and bombers.
A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy.
A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their technological characteristics: floatplanes and flying boats; the latter are generally far larger and can carry far more. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are in a subclass called amphibious aircraft, or amphibians. Seaplanes were sometimes called hydroplanes, but currently this term applies instead to motor-powered watercraft that use the technique of hydrodynamic lift to skim the surface of water when running at speed.
Port Alberni is a city located on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The city lies within the Alberni Valley at the head of the Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island's longest inlet. Port Alberni currently has a total population of 18,259.
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior is a jet-powered strategic bomber that was developed and produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was designed by Douglas on behalf of the United States Navy, which sought a carrier-capable strategic bomber. In July 1949, Douglas was awarded the contract to produce its design, having bested eight other aircraft companies' submissions. Unlike rival designs, which had aimed for a 100,000 lb (45,000 kg) maximum take-off weight, the Skywarrior was developed for a 68,000 lb (31,000 kg) take-off weight, facilitating its use from the navy's existing Midway-class aircraft carriers. Large portions of the aircraft were produced by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, including its early Westinghouse J40 turbojet engines, which failed to meet promises and were replaced by the rival Pratt & Whitney J57 engine by mid-1953. On 28 October 1952, the prototype XA3D-1 performed the type's maiden flight.
The Martin PBM Mariner is a twin-engine American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the first example flying on 18 February 1939, and the type entering service in September 1940, with the last of the type being retired in 1964.
Aerial firefighting, also known as waterbombing, is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing aircraft, or rappelling from helicopters. Chemicals used to fight fires may include water, water enhancers such as foams and gels, and specially formulated fire retardants such as Phos-Chek.
The Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) is the first model in a series of flying boat amphibious aircraft designed and built by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Canadair, and later produced by Bombardier. It is one of only a handful of large amphibious aircraft to have been produced in large numbers during the post-war era, and the first to be developed from the outset as a water bomber.
Conair Group Inc. of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, formerly known as Conair Aviation, is a company specializing in retrofitting firefighting aircraft, maintaining customer and company-owned aircraft and aerial firefighting. Conair currently employs over 250 staff and has a fleet of aircraft that are broken down into two categories; air attack, and airtankers. Conair specializes in fire management support by providing services and products to forest protection agencies around the world. In 1996 Conair became a Canadian Air Tractor dealer for the AT-802F air tanker. A former Conair Group division; Cascade Aerospace was acquired by the IMP Group of Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2012.
Sproat Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park near Port Alberni in British Columbia, Canada's Vancouver Island. Its name derives from a lake named after 19th century entrepreneur and colonial official Gilbert Malcolm Sproat.
Sproat Lake is a lake on central Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was known as Kleecoot, meaning "wide open" by local indigenous people.
Alberni Valley is a broad valley located at the head of Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is home to Port Alberni, Sproat Lake and other outlining areas. The term is largely used as a synonym for Greater Port Alberni and adjoining communities but is used in a larger regional sense as well. Various local organizations and companies use the term "Alberni Valley" in their name, e.g. the Alberni Valley Times and Alberni Valley News newspapers the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs minor hockey team. The Canadian pioneer, Joe Drinkwater lived in Alberni Valley during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The CAL FIRE Aviation Management Program is a branch of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Due to the frequency and severity of wildfires in California, the state has elected to establish its own aerial firefighting force rather than rely solely on contract or national resources. The Aviation Management Program is based at McClellan Airfield near Sacramento, California.
The China Clipper flight departure site is listed as California Historical Landmark number 968. It is the site from which Pan American World Airways initiated trans-Pacific airmail service on November 22, 1935. A flying boat named China Clipper made the first trip, and the publicity for that flight caused all flying boats on that air route to become popularly known as China Clippers. For a few years, this pioneering mail service captured the public imagination like the earlier Pony Express, and offered fast luxury travel like the later Concorde.
The British Columbia Aviation Museum is located in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. It is on the grounds of the Victoria International Airport at 1910 Norseman Road on the east side of the airport.
Air Spray (1967) Ltd. trading as Air Spray Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and Air Spray USA Inc of Chico, California is a private company specializing in aerial wildfire suppression using air tanker or water bomber aircraft. Air Spray was owned and operated by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame inductee, Donald T. Hamilton until his death in 2011. The company continued to be owned and operated by his daughter, Lynn Hamilton, of Foothills, Alberta.
Nils Christensen was a Norwegian-Canadian aviator and aircraft engineer who founded the Canadian aerospace manufacturing firm, Viking Air Ltd. He was also a WWII veteran, serving with the Norwegian Merchant Navy and the Royal Norwegian Air Force. He received numerous awards and honours in Canada and Norway for his aviation and military accomplishments.
Coulson Aviation is an aviation company headquartered in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. The company's fleet specialises in air tankers used for aerial firefighting. It operates in Canada, the United States, Australia and Chile.
The Port Alberni Bombers are a Junior ice hockey team in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League based in Port Alberni, British Columbia. The team debuted as an expansion franchise in the 2021–22 VIJHL season.