The last airworthy Martin Mars water bomber, named “Hawaii Mars”, gets a glorious send off as she is retired to the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Sidney, BC. The aircraft, owned by Coulson Aviation, took off from her home base in Sproat Lake for one final flight around the area, including joint flybys with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, before landing for the very last time in Patricia Bay near the Victoria International Airport. Thousands of people turned out to see her final flight and landing.
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Saw the SnowBirds fly over Victoria.
Amazing video. Thank you for sharing. What an aircraft, brilliant send-off, well captured.
Good coverage of the last landing. What a performance by the Snowbirds topping it off! Oh, by the way, It is in Sannich BC where the Victoria Airport is. I was there a few Years ago.
What impressed me most about this aircraft is the enormous time span of aviation it represents. Pacific clippers of 30’s, bygone era of luxury and when air travel was still an adventure. Rest easy Big Bird . . You made it intact to the Aviation PearlyGate. Thanks for sharing.
SHOULDA BEEN ESCORTED by other flying boatz, nit jets, jets r not real breathren. How about a section of Shinmaiwas from Nippon ….
It's just a shame to know that it will be the last flight of this machine.
A fitting tribute to an amazing airplane!
Yep Magnificent send off. Nicely done. Thank you for your service.
This plane was seen in the A-Team movie
Saw her a while ago in like 2014. I was 9 at the time and didn’t appreciate the significance. Wish I could have seen her again 🥺
Striking similarity to the Sunderland Flying Boat.
Great video as always guys! Thanks a bunch! Wish we had time to hang out at Oshkosh! Been living y’all’s work for years!
Here's a short clip from earlier in the final flight where she shows off a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVHvs9Lytpo
O fim glorioso de uma era! Fruto da necessidade, cumpriu muito bem seu trabalho, sempre que convocado!
Excellent footage as usual, AirshowStuff!
A "Water Salute" with the Snowbirds would have been the perfect ending. Hat's off to all the people that flew and maintained her for this long.
RCAF showed its usual class with the escort ……well done
awesome
magnifique
Il était plus que temps !
Such a shame she's retired… what a send off
Damn onions
the Tutor jets accompanying are the Snowbirds, the aerial demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force