No rest for the Martin Mars
June 27, 2008
Retirement continues to be a postponed option for a pair of seaplanes, built in Middle River, that have been fighting forest fires in the Pacific Northwest since a brief stint in World War II.
According to a report by the Canadian Broadcast Corp. on Friday, one of the two remaining Martin Mars “flying tankers” has been hired by the U.S. government to fight wild fires in California. One of the planes was brought in to fight fires in 2007 as well.
The planes, also called “water bombers,” were purchased in 2007 by British Columbia-based Coulson Aircrane for an undisclosed amount. The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum unsuccessfully tried to buy one of the planes and bring it back to Baltimore, where it was built.
The Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Co., precursor to Lockheed Martin Corp., manufactured the seaplanes in the early 1940s where they were originally envisioned as “flying dreadnoughts,” capable of carrying troops and raining down thousands of pounds of bombs on a battlefield. The planes were re-tasked before the end of the war to serve as long-range reconnaissance or cargo transport. Five Martin Mars were built at the Middle River plant.
The planes have a wingspan of 200 feet, are 117 feet long and can hold 7,200 gallons of a fire-suppressing water and foam mix.
The good news though, is that at least one of the planes is getting a bit of respite. Coulson Aircrane owner Wayne Coulson told the CBC that only one of the water bombers is in regular rotation until there is a high enough level of demand to put both in the rotation.
BEN MOOK, Assistant Business Editor
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Dear Sir/Madam:
I commend you efforts to acquire a Mars. But for hevens sake allow them to fulfill their vocation as water bombers.
Would you like to see them working, save life, homes and timber or on static display in a museum?