I expect that there are many here familiar with the Martin Mars and the last two remaining that did Fire Fighting duties at Coulson. For those not familiar with the two, I am posting a few links. Both aircraft the Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars have long been retired in Canada.

The Hawaii Mars was flown for permanent retirement to the BC Aviation Museum
https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... video.html

Coulson link
https://coulsongroup.com/martin-mars/

Wikipedia link on the Martin JRM Mars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_JRM_Mars

BT Thread on the Hawaii Mars, I believe the same plane that flew to AirVenture 2016
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=231421&hilit=Martin+mars

The Philippine Mars recently on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, flew a test flight in preparation for its permanent relocation to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tuscon, AZ. Notably borrowing parts from the Hawaii Mars. Also, of interest is the flight will have it landing in San Francisco and San Diego. I have a friend overlooking the San Diego Bay from Point Loma and we are both speculating where the Philippine Mars will land including direction, dock and refuel before it's final flight to a lake in AZ to be transported somehow to the museum. The landing in San Diego is of keen interest to me to consider flying across the country to watch from my friends home.

https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... again.html

They tried to keep it out of salt water for so many years only to land in salt water the last two flights before desert display.

Last I saw they had support equipment and tanker to follow on the ground and supply fuel where needed.

That will be quite a sight finishing the last road section to Pima on a trailer. Like the old Spruce Goose construction transport photos.

It would be worth it to fly to CA to see this landing in the bay. That would be amazing!

Water flowing around the hull is amazing. It is interesting how the hull design changed from the old Martin and Boeing Clippers or PBY.

Then hulls changed again with the jet Martin SeaMaster P6M. If they had reworked it as a land version it would have been a contender instead of the B-47

Apparently, the Philippine Mars attempted a flight to San Fransisco yesterday. Had to do a precautionary engine shutdown on #2 and then returned to Sprout Lake.

I sure wish I could find something that gives advance notice on this. Has anyone else found any advance PR type notices for this trip?

It appears that Coulson is making some updates on FaceBook, regarding the Philippine Mars

https://www.facebook.com/coulsonaviation


https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/philippinemartinmars

Here we go, Scheduled to leave BC Sprout Lake for its final home in AZ, with Stops in San Francisco and San Diego. One a Facebook link, another to Skytrac for satellite tracking. The Philippine Mars is scheduled to depart, at 10 AM Pacific tomorrow Dec 15th, for its second attempt, low oil pressure on #2 scuttled the last attempt shortly after takeoff.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/913976480712562

Track the progress here.

Username: Merry and Password: XMAS for SKYTRAChttps://apps6.trootrax.com/web/login.php

The Philippine Mars is scheduled to fly in less than 6 hours.

Apparently, the Philippine Mars departed and turned around with #4 feathered landing in Pat Bay, on Salt Water.

The above information from a post on X here.

https://x.com/RoyLedski/status/1868422631327973503

Watching the efforts to get the Philippine Mars airworthy and on its way to its new permanent home, is painful. The challenges to get those engines humming, from the 2 flight attempts, certainly speaks to the reasons to convert airlines from piston to the reliability of jet and turbine technology.

The Philippine Mars circled for quite a while before landing at Pat Bay, wondering what might have been in play, getting a secure landing area, with towing & mooring at Pat Bay, maybe reducing fuel load, waiting out for possible better weather at the home base on Sprout lake, come to mind.

The YouTube video, that Bruce shared is the first I heard that the intended stop in San Francisco, is Alameda Naval Air Station, former home. That information might have been out there but I did not see it. Makes me wonder if the San Diego stop will be at North Island Naval Air Station or perhaps the USCG Base next to KSAN, believe both have former seaplane ramps, not that the Philippine Mars will use a ramp, maybe a nearby dock.

This post on X is saying that there may be another attempt to fly to San Francisco tomorrow, Saturday December 21, 2024. A piston and cylinder is mentioned as having been "Fixed", I am assuming on #4.

If I can find more details than this, I will share.

https://x.com/deanstoltzchek/status/1869905598126620797

While searching for any more details on the Philippine Mars, relating to its departure from Pat Bay to SF, I found this older article that shared some details on its planned stops in San Francisco and San Diego.

https://www.oakbaynews.com/local-news/p ... ay-7709546

The aircraft’s route includes a stop in San Francisco, Calif., for customs clearance and to comply with the requirement to stop before sunset. The Martin JRM Mars aircraft, once based in nearby Alameda, Calif., will anchor for two days in the Alameda Lagoon, where it was originally operated by the U.S. Navy. From there, it will fly along the coast to San Diego, participating in scheduled events and video documentation. Its planned water landing will occur near the Coronado Bridge, with a touchdown close to the USS Midway Museum, where it will anchor in San Diego Bay overnight. The aircraft’s journey will conclude in Arizona, where it will be disassembled at its factory production joints and transported to the Pima Air and Space Museum.