March 28, 2024 Announcement –
Watch this fascinating origin story of how the Hawaii Martin Mars is being donated to the BC Aviation Museum at the Victoria International Airport.
Warmest thank you to the donor, Wayne Coulson, the Coulson family and Coulson Aviation, to the British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Sport and Arts, the many supportive stakeholders and the wonderful people of Port Alberni.
0:00 Port Alberni Tanker Base
1:41 – 2:22 Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
3:09 – 4:27 Steve Nichol, BCAM Museum President
4:39 – 7:35 Richard Mosdell, Hawaii Mars Project Lead
10:09 – 11:35 Richard Mosdell, Hawaii Mars Project Lead
11:36-11:56 Mars In Flight
The film crew were all volunteers of the BC Aviation museum;
Richard Mosdell, director (Save the Mars Team project lead)
Greg Duerksen, editor and camera operator (Museum Media Team)
Greg Allison, camera operator (Museum Media Team)
Gary Powe, interview & camera operator (Museum Media Team)
Greg Gillespie, interviewer, and camera crew (Museum Media Team)
Save The Mars Team;
Richard Mosdell, project lead
Steve Nichol, museum president
Bob Saunders, museum treasurer
John McManus, museum, director
Conal Oldfield, executive director
source
That’s perfect, well done!!!
It wasn't till severtal years after visiting Sproat Lake that I heard the stories behind the huge plane I witnessed take off from the lake.That journey began on my 24 yearold motorcycle from the opposite side of the continen,t near Windsor ontario. , & I had no idea what to expect camped there in 2000. Glad to see it stay flying ,especially when there was rumor that it was getting too expensive to maintain.
I was camping at Sproat Lake with my dad and brother in the late '70s. My dad, blissfully unaware of the giant Martin Mars aircraft warming-up at the end of the lake, paddled a tiny rowboat across the water by himself. Now I don't know if the pilot didn't see dad, or if it was part of the pre flight warm-up, but that water bomber began hurtling down the lake, straight towards my dad! Thankfully the plane decelerated and returned to the end of the lake to try again. Better yet, from the shores of Sproat Lake, that was the day I realized my old dad could have been an Olympic rowing gold medalist. Thanks for the memories.
Okay , not flying but still presevred !
This is a disappointment. The Glenn L. Martin Museum had tried to acquire this or one of the other one for display on the Martin factory grounds where it was constructed, tested and sent to the Navy. They had plans to construct a special " harbor" for it on actual earth so it would not be sitting in water and would be a centerpiece of the property. Coulson wanted somewhere around $1M dollars for it and the museum was looking for funding but no one with big pockets stepped forward. The state of MD is not interested in giving their tax dollars to museums and would have no parts of it, no offers to help. The plans fell through and Coulson stopped communicating about it. It would have been a chore for the museum to have gotten it from Canada on the west side to Baltimore, MD just off the Atlantic. They had many plans but no funding. Now, Coulson just gave it away. Kind of a slap in the face to the state and the people of MD that had any connection to Glenn L. Martin as employees, suppliers or even possibly relatives. I know nothing about the museum it is going to and I hope they have funding to keep it in good shape. In MD, it may have reverted to its original paint scheme. The best laid plans just didn't happen.
Some of the audio is not coming thru.
Thank you 🙏🏼 for saving this extraordinary aircraft. Can’t wait to see her up close. Money well spent. What a dream.
Why does this news bring a tear to my eye. As a West Coast float pilot for many years, perhaps it is because these Aircraft represent so much history of BC’s forest Industry. Countless hard working people , so many dreams, some cut short in a tough Industry.
Thank you Coulson Family for preserving this enormous symbol of our history. Must be tough to let her go after all that work, while at the same time satisfying to know She won’t be leaving home ❤ 👍🇨🇦
I was fortunate to have seen this old beautie fight a fire in Sequoia national forest in 2000!!!!!!
My grandfather helped build it! Glenn L. Martin's in Baltimore.
Terrific news about the HAWAII Mars. But what of her sister ship the MARIANAS?
I assumed that this tanker was still in service in Canada.
These Martin Mars aircraft are famous worldwide as fire fighting legends, it's heartwarming to know that such a wonderful peice of history is going to a rightfully deserved safe harbour where it's stories and presence can be enjoyed for all who follow.
And it's fantastic that it got to retire 'superceeded', and not scrapped or boneyard recycled.
Is there any story that can be told for the second aircraft? Always wondered why there's no giant Turboprop seaplane, given the potential uses for them in firefighting and tourisim.
I was 3 years old in 1953 when I flew on this airplane from Hawaii with my family. My father was a colonel in the Marine Corps, the aircraft was still a Navy asset. It was my first memory of sea sickness as we bobbed around before takeoff. My father was acquainted with the command pilot. I got to go into the cockpit when we were airborne and at cruise altitude and sit in the left seat. The auto pilot was on so when I began tugging the yoke, it wouldn’t move. Crazy, eh?
Remember when we had many water bombers to combat forest fires? I wonder if we will purchase more through the carbon tax? Tell the government!
Ok, takes a crew of 5 & a lot of avgas to operate but, it's a fire truck, don't kill it, use it….
Where can we follow to know when it the last flight ? I would like to see it ! Coming from east coast of Canada so I'll have to plan the travel !
Big shoutout to the Project Leader for having the foresight and motivation to get that plane saved!
Now I need a vacation plan. I've always wanted to see a Mars.
A love story between a community and it's historic aircraft- what could be better?
Designed and built in the good old USA!
My Dad worked at Glen L Martin as a draftsman on the Martin Mars during the Second World War . The first Martin Mars's had a dual tail the second version had the single vertical tail.
She's a Beauty
I saw one of those waterbomb a fire here in Southern California back in 2011ish.
They need to build modern versions of this wonderful aircraft by the hundreds put out the forest fires before they get out of hand and cause such massive devastation . Talk to your local Member of Parliament. It is Springtime and there are still forest fires burning from last fall in British Columbia. All they need is drier conditions and wind and they will start up a firestorm again
BC AVIATION MUSEUM , good content, but please push the music far into the background when people are talking.
It's so great that these planes will be preserved, though I think we'll all be sad that they aren't in the sky anymore. What incredibly awesome machines!
that was he best news in a long time. Congrats and happy long life to Hawaii Martin Mars in BC.
I saw here at Lake Elsinore in California about 10 years ago. There is a road coming from the coast with a lookout above the lake and as soon as I crested the hill I looked down upon her instantly recognizing her , big smile. There were many fires in SoCal and she was back above her homeland
Congratulations to Steve Nichol the team!!
WHAT S THE LOGIC 4 ITS PERMANENT GROUNDING ….errr watering ? 2 masculine a Big Stick Bird 4 the wimpy-wampy woke crowd ??? The fires will cont anyway, the world maybe not …cee the WW3 lurking & brewing …& smoldering. PUT IT BACK IN THE AIR, nevuhhh mind the hrs nor the cost; making it a cultural-anthropological artifact is derogatory. It is born to be airborne. ALL OR NTH @ ALL (Billie Holiday) …. 🇫🇮
That's great news! I remember seeing all of them lined up just inside the fence beside the Pat Bay highway when I was a kid – an amazing sight.
When Dad was in the forces we came back from Germany to spend a year in Comox in 1982/83. We camped all over the island and once at Sproat Lake we paddled out to the two Mars that were moored at their buoys. It was only when we got close to them that we really got a sense of how massive they were. A wonderful experience and one my Dad and I will remember always.
I saw the Hawaii Mars fighting fires in Strathacona Park. Hearing this plane fly down Upper Campbell Lake sent chills down my back as a child. I'm happy this plane is staying on the Island.
It’s a no brainer that this plane needs to be restored
I can’t describe the love that I as a Sproat Lake kid has for these two planes. They were mesmerizing. They shook our homes as they flew overhead. Everyone would stop what they were doing and we would watch them go over. Often daily. It’s unfortunate to retire them, but at least they will be kept indoors for us to visit. Please make it well known when she will fly so we can stand under her one last time ❤️
I remember the Martin Mars Bomber landing on Kalamalka lake when I lived in Oyama. It felt like a 747 was landing as it glided in and settled for a bit just off shore! Coolest thing ever saw!
Forget the U.S.A. I'd keep both those aircraft in B.C., where they belong. It's bittersweet to see these aircraft going to museums, knowing they may never fly again, but it's better than losing them to operational accidents, as there are only two left. My father flew on these aircraft (as a passenger) between Hawaii and the Alameda Naval Air Station numerous times. Truthfully, he was happy when jet aircraft finally showed up on the scene.
Museum No we need it to fight Fires. Something about Global Warming or is that more Bullshit EH
Thanks you, everyone that’s made this possible!
I’ll pay to see the Mars
You lost me the moment Mike Ruttan opened his mouth!
This aircraft belongs in the USA. That’s our Navy warbird!
The JRM Mars has the glide ratio of a B-29 but can also land on water. What an impressive plane!
Why retire them?
I fly into Victoria all the time! Where is it going to be parked?
The two most beloved airplanes in BC.❤❤❤❤❤