Warbird Information Exchange

Just seen the Martin Mars flying over the harbour in Vancouver in a north west direction. Very cool! Sorry no pictures.

I heard the loud engines but when I ran outside to catch a glimpse it was hidden by the tall trees around my house:( Always love seeing the Mars go over!

Cockpit of Mars

In action.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23057174@N ... 789690023/

I was amazed to see that she's now got a GLASS cockpit! On the new NatGeo series "Heavy Metal Task Force", they showed her and the new cockpit. Looks neat for the guys up front. It says they've also put new engine control systems (they called it FADEC, but I think it's just electronic fuel injection) to increase the efficiency of the engines. From the talk of it, this was filmed before the last fire season, so she flew this years' season with the new enhancements.

Hey Guys I also got some Old History Photos.

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Flying Tankers (Coulson Flying Tankers)

Did the ballerinas in Ahhhneyland ever use it last fire season or did it sit while political hokey games were played about its use?

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

It was being used actively, certainly while I was there in September

Very cool pics!

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

I wonder if there is any chance it will be in California either during the May 14-16 or June 6-7 periods when I will be there?

I had heard the Mars would be taking part in the filming of the movie "The A-Team" in Vancouver - likely it was flying for that....

For Mars fans if you have not seen the Coulson Official videos, check out the Youtube site:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CoulsonGroup

I don't think that is the prime fire season which I think is in the fall when the Santa Ana winds are most likely and it is hot. I'm no expert though, maybe someone like Larry Kraus can comment.

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...October, 2009...Hawaii Mars, "Tanker 223"...

...on downwind, about to turn base for a drop on the airport at Hemet-Ryan (Hemet, CA) during gel testing...

...they worked a few fires and did a lot of gel testing in Southern Calfornia this year (gel tests mostly in the mountains east of Hemet (Poppet Flats)...based at Lake Elsinore and scooping at Diamond Valley Lake...

...unknown if they expect to be back in 2010...

Can I take this thread sideways a bit?
I thought of asking this question on the Fifi thread.

What are the major difference between the engines in the Mars and those used in the B29?
Supposedly the Mars had 3350-24WA and apart from the loss of the Marshall Mars there doesn't seem to be the same stories of endemic unreliability and engine fires as surround the B29. The Mars are still in use as fire bombers whereas Fifi is being re-engined with a custom engine design and hasn't flow recently.

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Chris Mellor

The Mars engines are similar to those on the later Constellations and somewhat more reliable, however the Mars crew has one advantage - they have a bunch of good engines. When the aircraft were originally purchased, they bought a bunch of (then new) engines that were already preserved and parts. The US Navy as part of the deal gave them all of their Mars spares and documentation as well so they could manufacture their own parts as well.

When I got he chance to visit the plane and crew at Lake Elsinore, they had a really well organized program to maintain the aircrft, including a full spare engine ket at the location full time. The organization was really professional in the way it has worked out all the details....and a lot of nice folks willing to answer questions for the steady stream of the fans coming down hoping to get a look and a few pictures of the aircraft.