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By Jim Messer, Chief Operating OfficerOperations

Flying Tankers

Hawaii Martin Mars at Truck Loggers' Convention, Vancouver, performing a water drop.

The year started off with the earliest launch ever for one of the Martin Mars. Hawaii Mars was put into Sproat Lake on Jan 11th and was flown to Vancouver Harbour on Jan 15th to participate in the Truck Loggers Association annual conference. All went very well with the Mars doing three demonstration drops to large crowds gathered at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Center. As always, she attracted a lot of media and public attention. A display was set up inside the show as well consisting of the support truck and trailer, the Mars nosecone and an engine. Thanks to everyone involved in setting this up and making our show a first class event.

The Hawaii Mars is now back on land at the Sproat Lake Base undergoing some winter maintenance as well as some Gel System upgrades.

AirCrane

The four helicopters in Australia continue on fire contracts in Victoria State and South Australia. It has been a quieter season than last year, but all is going well.S61 MAY is in the hangar at Walsh, Australia in her black colours before being painted black and white. S61 CLM sporting her orange and black.

The Number #8 Martin Mars That Was Never Finished

The picture to the left is known as the #8 nose piece. The 8th Martin Mars Flying Tanker was never finished because WWII had ended. This nose piece sat out in the elements for the last 62 years. When Wayne Coulson purchased the two remaining Martin Mars Flying Tankers in 2007 the #8 nose piece component was refurbished and now sits in the Coulson Flying Tankers museum at Sproat Lake.

A week ago the # 8 nose piece was loaded onto a low bed, as per the pictures below, and was put on display at this years' Truck Loggers Convention in Vancouver. The nose piece is now back at the museum.

What Happened to Martin Mars #1 to #7?

The # 1 Martin Mars known as the "Old Lady" was scrapped in 1945.
The # 2 Hawaii Mars crashed Aug. 5, 1945 after losing the vertical stablizer on landing off the Atlantic at Chesapeake Bay.
The #3 Phillipine Mars is still flying for Coulson Flying Tankers.
The #4 Marianas Mars crashed and burned while firefighting on Vancouver Island, June 23, 1960.
The #5 Marshall Mars caught fire and exploded off of Hawaii on May 5, 1950.
The #6 Hawaii Mars replaced the original #2 Hawaii Mars and is still flying for Coulson Flying Tankers. She recently returned from fire fighting in California.
The #7 Caroline Mars was destroyed by Hurricane Frieda in Oct. 12 1962.