Following the announcement in March by the British Columbia Aviation Museum that it had acquired Martin JRM Hawaii Mars as we speak, with a lot shock, the Pima Air and Area Museum (PASM) made public through Fb its acquisition of the Philippine Mars.
Coulson Aviation revealed a press launch asserting that the Philippine Mars will quickly discover its “without end house” on the PASM in Tucson, Arizona this yr. The Philippine Mars is one among solely seven Martin JRM Mars flying boats produced.
“This has been an thrilling month for each Martin Mars waterbombers,” stated Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Group. “As a becoming tribute to their years of service and years of laborious work by many individuals in BC and the U.S., we’re happy to see each Mars plane touchdown to relaxation at world-class establishments in 2024.”
Produced between 1942 and 1947, the Mars fleet flew cargo between Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to assist the U.S. Navy throughout World Conflict II. After the conflict, they supported the Korean Conflict with medical air transport lifts between Hawaii and California, later transitioning to cargo carry work between Hawaii and California earlier than being decommissioned in 1956.
The spectacular planes had been every christened with correct names, maybe as a nod to their nautical roots. The prototype aircraft was named The Previous Girl; manufacturing planes had been named as follows: Hawaii Mars, Philippine Mars, Marianas Mars, Marshall Mars, Hawaii Mars II (named after the destruction of the unique Hawaii Mars), and eventually, Caroline Mars.
The surviving fleet of 4 plane had been bought in 1958 to a consortium of timber firms in British Columbia, Canada, and transformed into the world’s largest waterbombers carrying 7,200 U.S. gallons per drop. Coulson bought two of the plane, the Hawaii Mars and the Philippine Mars in 2007, which marked the start of the corporate’s fixed-wing air tanker operations for aerial wildfire assist.
Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars are the one Martin JRM Mars plane remaining as we speak.
“We’re happy to have the Philippine Mars be a part of our museum the place we are going to protect this World Conflict II-era plane for many years to return,” stated Scott Marchand, CEO of the PASM.
In line with the museum’s Fb put up, the Philippine Mars gained’t arrive till later this yr, however we’re thrilled to see that each remaining iconic Martin JRM Mars aircrat will probably be preserved!
