Warbird Information Exchange

A friend in Canada sent me this tonight....Ya think the Navy Museum would like one?

For Immediate Release: November 10, 2006

TIMBERWEST SEEKS BUYERS FOR MARTIN MARS WATER BOMBERS

Vancouver (BC) -- TimberWest Forest Corp. today announced that it is selling its two
Martin Mars water bombers.

“We have made the decision to seek buyers for the Martin Mars water bombers as the
planes are not part of our core business functions,” said Paul McElligott, TimberWest
President and CEO. “TimberWest is a forest land management company and we
believe there are other private sector interests who are in a better position to operate
these planes.”

TimberWest has made arrangements with public and private sector agencies to ensure
that its forest land holdings on Vancouver Island continue to receive forest fire protection
services.

“The company is confident that by working with the systems in place, we can protect our
land assets on Vancouver Island from forest fires,” said McElligott.

The Martin Mars water bombers, initially conceived as military bombers, have been
providing fire-fighting services in British Columbia for over 40 accident-free years. They
are based in Sproat Lake, near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, and were originally
operated by a consortium of partners, including TimberWest. However, for the last five
years, TimberWest has been the sole operator.

“Over the years, the company has put significant resource into upgrading these planes.
We believe the two planes have been rigorously maintained to keep them in a safe and
effective operating condition. They will be attractive to those parties whose business
interests are suited to operating these types of aircraft,” said McElligott.

As a condition of sale, TimberWest will require that one of the planes be donated to Port
Alberni upon retirement for use by the community as a heritage attraction.

“This is consistent with a commitment we made to the people of Port Alberni and reflects
our support for local communities,” added McElligott.

Some interest has already been expressed by the private sector to operate the aircraft,
which, in addition to forest fire-fighting capabilities, have solid tourism and marketing
potential for the right buyer.

The tendering process for the sale of the Martin Mars aircraft closes on December 31,
2006.

30-
For more information:
Steve Lorimer
Manager, Public Affairs & Government Relations

(250) 729-3727
lorimers@timberwest.com

BACKGROUNDER



•
A total of five Martin Mars aircraft were built in Baltimore, Maryland in 1942-43.
•
They were originally conceived as a military bomber for long-range mission and
patrols.
•
The planes were redesigned and classified for long-range general transportation
because of their demonstrated heavy lift capability.
•
In 1959 a consortium of British Columbia coastal forest companies formed Flying
Tankers, which then purchased the remaining aircraft and converted them to
water bombers.
•
Two of the aircraft have continued to operate, providing unsurpassed fire-fighting
protection services to British Columbia’s coast and interior and as required to
neighbouring jurisdictions in Alberta, Washington State, Oregon and California.
•
The planes are operated by a crew of four, including a captain, first officer and
two flight engineers.
•
Each plane can hold over 27,000 litres (7,200 US gallons) of water/foam load,
enough to cover three to four acres in a single drop. The planes have the
capability to use fresh or ocean water.
•
It takes the aircraft a skimming distance of about two kilometres to pick up a load
of water. They can operate from a body of water as small as six kilometres
depending on surrounding topography and other approach and departure
requirements.
•
Both aircraft have the capability to drop either straight water or water mixed with
foam onto fires. In 2005, one of the aircraft was also fitted with long-term
suppressant.
•
Once the planes are airborne, foam concentrate is injected into the water load at
a ratio of 30 U.S. gallons into the 7,200 U.S. gallon water load.
•
Once dropped, the tumbling action causes aeration which converts the water
load into a foam load, a process repeated for each drop.
•
The planes are housed at Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island, but have the
capability to operate for extended periods away from their base.


_________________
Civis Aerius Sum

I am a citizen of the Air

Certainly! Donate one to them and then they can sink it in salt water to conserve it for future generations...

They just might. Although I don't think the museum would pay what Timberwest is looking for. But if it were donation.

That would be an awesome sight to see a Mars taxi (well I guess it wouldn't exactly taxi) up to the old seaplane ramps. I went to NAS Pensacola for "C" school and hung out on my off time down by the water. It was really peacful. Years later I saw a wartime picture of the very same waterfront and it wasn't much different. The only differences were that KingFishers (OS2U's not the bird) don't line the seawall anymore and there is now a McDonalds out in the middle of the concrete ramp. The hangars are still there.

I might make the trip if the Naval Museum were to take on a Mars and if it flew into there.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

The Museum on Ford Island seems to have deep pockets, I wonder if they will bite.

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

I suppose it's beyond Hope to find a buyer who will keep one FLYING.....these things are the closest thing we have to the Spruce Goose...

M

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Mark Morris

Am I the only one that thinks one of these planes would be a shoe-in for the Fantasy of Flight Museum? Surely Mr. Weeks has an interest in the Mars, with all of the special attention he'd given to unique amphibians over the years. Not sure where he'd put it, but it would definitely be well placed among the others in his collection.

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Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

the navy should take it!!! it is a rare link in the evolution of the military flying boat.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I hope you mean BUY it

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

yes buy!!!! bad choice of words following a fishing trip on lake erie!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I had always hoped to see on of those beautiful big bright red Martin Mars flying boats in flight, but traveling to Bristish Columbia and the irratic flight schedules they kept made it unlikely.

If they are sold it would be nice if one or both could take a last flight to somewhere where it might be more likely to see it (California Coast, etc.).

That idea of the new Pacific Aviation Museum at Ford Island in Honolulu (supposed to open in December) would seem like a fitting spot for one of these behemoths which undoubtedly flew through that area many times during there service in the late 40s and in the 50s. One last long overwater flight to Hawaii would be possible I would think - I would love to be there when it arrived.

The Naval Aviation Musem in Pensacola would be another good resting place.

It probably is too much to expect that someone would be able to keep one in flying condition - but wouldn't that be something.

Thanks for the updates - keep us posted on developments.

Jim C.

Some light reading...

http://www.fantasyofflight.com/article_blamesnoopy.htm

Not quite sure I'm convinced about all the "I'm a ghost" stuff, but maybe the second-to-last paragraph suggests a "warm" future for a certain Martin Mars.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I was fortunate enough to get to go to BC in 2004 and thanks to the folks at Flying Tankers was afforded the opportunity to go on board one of the Mars flying boats moored on Sproat lake. One of the pilots took my wife and I out to the plane, and we got a brief tour through it and then sat in the cockpit for about an hour or so trading war stories and hangar talk. My photo on the WIX Mugshots thread was taken in the Mars cockpit.

My father worked on the Mars as a draftsman and engineering technician for the Glenn L. Martin Company, and it was a neat experience to walk where my Dad had walked 60 or so years before. I wished I could have shared this experience with him, but he passed away in 2002.

I would surely like to see Kermit Weeks acquire one or both of these planes, and put them in Florida.

Walt

Walt - that's a great story about you being able to go through the Mars that your Dad had been involved with back at Glenn L. Martin in Maryland back in the 40s.

I agree that Kermit Weeks would be a great recipient for the Mars. I would love to see one kept in the Red Fire bomber colors it's been in for so long and one returned to original Dark Blue Navy Colors from the Mid-50s before it was retired from service.

Jim C.

As long as at least one of them goes somewhere warm, dry and UNDERCOVER I'll be happy (stored outdoors in Arizona is OK...). I can't see one lasting long as a floating outdoor display, and no offense but I don't think that the City of Port Alberni has the wherewithall to keep it undercover. It would be a shame to have to watch one of these beasts rot away.

Maybe I'm being too pessimistic, though...

cheers

greg v.

Heck, what about putting the pair back to work once in Florida?

I think the tourists would probably get a kick out of watching this pair of bad boys squash the brush fires that try to consume Orlando every year.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.