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^ bomber swoops low over the target and drops its 'V a^0ad- ls 1984, though, and the payload is Water —the tar8et is a forest fire. The hard working boat. °m^er *s a World War II vintage Martin Mars flying
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!930se Mar*-type aircraft began life as a bomber during the I933 th boats were in their heyday. In August
^°rtibe6 Navy Placed an order for a long-range patrol bunChp.^be prototype took three years to complete. It was be f] In Maryland on 5 November 1941. Before it could lajtta n’ however, an engine f \y 1®® to the prototype Mars.
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W3S reconfiSured t0 carry passengers and cargo.
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^2iy[ldiparry record Payloads over great distances. The
(larria*Wn' however, an engine fire caused considerable \y|°l to the prototype Mars.
htg'b repa'rs were being made, it was decided that the big itnber °? * Woldd be more effective as a transport than as a Tv 'ft was reconfigured to carry passengers and cargo. Mars prototype remained with the Martin Company for ■and-a-half after completion. During this time, it proved
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Nayal a- as 11 was designated, was finally delivered to HiVer ^Jr Transport Squadron Eight (VR-8) at Patuxent •bent’
IVer M —“jpv,, 1 ovjutiuiL-n i^igm (vi\-oj ai raiuxent th aryland *n November 1943. On temporary assign- ere> h continued to set impressive records.
''olivary 1944 the
ma,er-^ tne "Old Lady, ________________________
°f Nay?] narned’ was delivered to VR-2 which operated out Used exf ‘N'r Station Alameda, California. The Mars was lhe ^"sively on the Alameda-to-Hawaii run that was, at §reat u,C’. 'he longest over-water air route in the world. Its 9s P'"u‘ ' '
as she had been affec-
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I e,ght-carrying capability made the Mars extremely
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tJ'‘,lionsPrft°type Nfars had delivered passengers, plasma, and - time ° P°unds of cargo to various Pacific locations by a'tcraftshe was retired from service in March 1945. The eventually scrapped. But the “Old Lady” had C°nira d so well that before she was retired, the Navy had Craft 6 f°r construction of 20 additional Mars-type air-
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'Vere and or|e JRM-2. All six of the old lady’s children f!tNrria]Sl8ned and built as cargo and transport aircraft. The r°ni th aPPearance of the JRM-1 was somewhat different
Stately, six great]y improved Mars were built, five
in tai| prototyPe- A single vertical stabilizer replaced the lovi(je , !ns> and the hull was lengthened by three feet to The .additional cargo space.
>rie(' Ca‘rst fRM-1 was flown on 21 July 1945. It had a very er as a landing mishap caused it to sink in the
Chesapeake Bay on 5 August 1945. The second JRM-1, the Marshall Mars, was completed a short time later and began service with VR-2 in February 1946. It was followed by the Marianas Mars, the Philippine Mars, and the Hawaii Mars.
All four were flying in the Pacific by July 1946.
The last of the series, a JRM-2, joined its four siblings in May 1948. This Caroline Mars had few structural changes but had powerful new engines that increased its already impressive cruising speed and gross weight capabilities.
These five giant flying boats, like their mom, set many records for distance and payload. They earned an enviable record for excellence. In April 1950, however, the Marshall Mars caught fire during a test flight out of Hawaii. The crew made a successful emergency landing, but the fire could not be controlled. The aircraft had to be abandoned, and it burned and sank.
The surviving four Mars flying boats continued in service until August 1956. In 1959, the four Mars and 90 tons of spare parts and engines were sold to the “Mars Metal Company,” a scrap dealer, for $25,000. A group of Canadian lumber company executives saw the great possibilities that the unique capabilities of these aircraft presented. They formed a consortium, and the resulting organization. Forest Industries Flying Tankers, was incorporated in only three weeks. FIFT bought the Mars and parts for $100,000.
The Canadian lumbermen had concluded that large water bombers could fight fires in their area more effectively than land-based tanker aircraft. Timber ranges in British Columbia are often in rugged wilderness areas far from airstrips. There are, however, many lakes and bays large enough to accommodate the Mars, and the weight-carrying capacity of the planes was well proven.
And so, the Mars got a new lease on life. They were ferried to Victoria airport on Vancouver Island. The Marianas Mars was the first to be reconfigured as a water bomber by Fairey Aviation of Canada, Ltd. A plywood water tank which holds 6,000 imperial gallons was installed on the lower deck Four release doors were placed in the sides of the hull, and retractable, breakaway probes were designed to scoop up water while the aircraft was skimming just over a river, lake, or bay.
The Marianas Mars went into service late in 1960. It was an immediate success, proving that the large water bombers would indeed be a valuable asset.
Air tankers operate under less than optimum conditions,
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November 1984
187
that h costly-
service
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flying low through heat and smoke over uneven terrain. Unfortunately, in June 1961, the Marianas Mars and crew fell victim to these conditions, striking some trees during a drop. The plane crashed, killing her crew of four.
The Philippine Mars was refitted in 1962. Its reconfiguration was similar to that done on the Marianas Mars. When the conversion was done on the Hawaii Mars in 1964, there were changes to improve the firefighting capabilities.
In the Hawaii Mars, the aft two fuel tanks in the belly were turned into water tanks, and two new metal fuel tanks were fitted above. This makes the aircraft lighter overall and allows for “belly drops” through two rows of 11 doors in the belly of the Hawaii Mars. Hugh Frazier, one of the pilots of FIFT, indicated that they all feel this configuration is more effective because the plane is less sluggish, and the water mass stays together better until it strikes the fire.
The Caroline Mars was lost in October 1962. Awaiting conversion at the Victoria airport, it was on beaching g® and tied down when a storm of hurricane force hit and
it sideways across the apron. With the severe damage sustained, FIFT determined that repairs would be too and the aircraft was scrapped.
The Philippine Mars and Hawaii Mars continue in -to this day. Most of the time they float peacefully on Spj Lake near Port Albemi, British Columbia, where Forest dustries Flying Tankers has its headquarters. The role . yCjy play is important and interesting because they are so unit) suited to the area they serve. jn
When a fire call comes in a for a Mars tanker, it can the air in 30 minutes. As soon as the call is received, a Grumman Goose amphibian aircraft is dispatched to s' the scene of the fire and establish communications with
The Martin Mars flying boats were originally designed in the 1930s for the Navy as long-range patrol bombers and were used extensively throughout the 1940s and 50s because of their great weight carrying capacity as Navy transport and cargo aircraft. Now nearly 40 years old, the Martin Mars are still flying but as water bombers for a Canadian lumber company to fight the air war against forest fires.
ground crews if there are any present. The pilot of is always a Mars pilot because it is necessary for him ^ts- know the capabilities and limitations of the large 0y1 n- As the Mars arrives, the pilot of the Goose is able ^ -JV a situation report and lead the Mars to the first drop sl^o Mars pilots try to get down to an altitude of 100 feet- more than 250 feet, over the fire for a drop. The imSe t of water drenches an area about 200 feet wide by 60 long. bay
188
Proceedings
/ Nov*'"1
The Goose then leads the Mars to a nearby lake or ^ fit refill its tanks. The pilot makes a normal touchdown, ( engineer maintains enough power to keep the flying 0
' 113 vapacuy U1 u,uuu imperial
1 of coP'*ot times the scoop and retracts the probes at
3ck Up me 30 seconds. The engineer brings the speed i bepCn ,° knots, and the Mars is in the air again.
,In8 °n the proximity of the water supply, the time
?een h"1® °n tlle Proximity
V fc„.,r°Ps is 8 to 30 minutes, generally around 15 min- Mars carries enough fuel to stay in the air for four
; v, — auuu/ me Walt
as very close to the fire. To hit their target, the pi- 'n8s / November 1984
faH°ns tk. the ^ars to take on its capacity of 6,000 imperial he • - —- ' '
to bach
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s ^ able°tUrS' According to Chief Pilot Jack Waddington, he 0|Jrce u, 0 make 33 drops during one sortie when the water
lots use only visual checks for accuracy.
The cost of operating the Mars aircraft is high, but the member companies of FIFT believe the cost of fighting forest fires without the Mars flying boats would be greater. The Mars can reach remote areas quickly, often well before ground crews can arrive. While most aerial fire fighting equipment attempts to contain a fire, the amount of retardantladen water the Mars carries makes it capable of putting the fire out.
FIFT manager Tom Irving explained that it takes a staff of 30 to run the operation. There are four Mars pilots. They come to FIFT with a minimum of 5,000 hours of seaplane time. It then takes approximately three years to become captain of a Mars tanker.
The engineers and mechanics do all of the maintenance on the aircraft with the exception of major engine overhauls.
Stress cracks are patched as they appear, but extensive sheet metal work on the hull is done in the winter when the flying boats are on beaching gear and out of the water. Because of the age of these flying boats, maintenance is constant.
It is amazing that nearly 40 years after they were built, these last two Mars flying boats are still performing their'assigned task in a way no other aircraft can. To know these grand old planes are still flying is exciting. To see, hear, and feel them fly by at close range is even more thrilling.
The importance of the role they now play assures that the Mars will be maintained carefully. With luck, the world’s largest water bombers will be flying for years to come.