History of the Mars
The Mars story began 86 years ago when the US Navy ordered a prototype for a large flying boat for patrol service. The prototype made its first flight in mid-1942, but by then the Navy needed a large transport aircraft, and it was converted to that service. The performance of the prototype in its transport role was impressive and the Navy placed an order for 20 aircraft and, in the closing days of the war, reduced that number to six.
The US Navy operated the Mars fleet until 1956 but lost two aircraft during that period. The four remaining were sold as scrap in 1959. At that time, several British Columbia forestry companies* had established Forest Industries Flying Tankers (FIFT) to acquire and operate aerial forest fire suppression equipment. Dan McIvor, senior pilot for MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., foresaw the Mars airtanker potential and FIFT acquired the four aircraft and numerous spare parts.
The aircraft were converted to tankers by Fairey Aviation of Canada at Victoria International Airport and the first commenced service in 1960. Tragically, an aborted drop resulted in the crash that claimed the lives of the 4 crew and destroyed Marianas Mars in 1961. Just over a year later in October 1962, the recently converted Caroline Mars was destroyed at the Victoria airport during Typhoon Freda.
The two surviving aircraft, Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars went on to fight over 4000 forest fires using their overwhelming 27,000 litre (6000 Imperial gallon) load capacity. For six decades the Vancouver Island based Mars aircraft were a reassuring and effective presence. And what a presence! When those four 2,400 hp Wright R3350-24WA engines turning 16-foot props were fired up, they always drew a crowd.
While able to extinguish some fires with a single pass, the huge, radial engine aircraft require large lakes for loading and are at a disadvantage in mountainous terrain. The evolution of aviation and firefighting technology and techniques limited the deployment of the Mars, and after five decades of firefighting, they were retired in 2015.
- Manufacturer: Glenn L. Martin Company
- Concept created: 1937.
- Prototype completed: November 1941, Model XPB2M-1 (twin tail).
- Dubbed “The Old Lady”, first flight: June 1942.
- US Navy:
- The “Old Lady” was handed over to VR-2 Squadron Alameda Naval Air Station, California: February 1944 and flew 78 missions to the Pacific war zone before being retired.
- Aircraft role changed from patrol bomber to transport, design updated to single tail.
- First JRM-1 production aircraft crashed on a test flight in Chesapeake Bay 5 August 1945 and was written off.
- Four JRM-1 Mars delivered to US Navy Alameda Feb to June 1946:
USN Bureau # Name
820 (76820) “Philippine” Mars
821 “Marianas” Mars
822 “Marshall” Mars
823 “Hawaii” Mars
– One JRM-2 Mars 824 “Caroline” modified (with new engines) delivered to VR-2 May 1948.
– On April 5, 1950 the “Marshall Mars” developed a fuel leak, caught fire and sank in the waters off Honolulu– all crew members escaped.
– The remaining four were eventually retired in the summer of 1956 and stored on beaching gear at Alameda pending disposal.
- British Columbia: Following the devastating 1958 fire season in B.C., the search was on by several logging companies for a suitable water bombing aircraft.
- Forest Industries Flying Tankers (FIFT) was formed, headed by Dan McIvor – MacMillan Bloedel’s Chief Pilot.
- Saving the Mars from the salvage block, McIvor negotiated for the purchase of the 4 aircraft and they were flown to Victoria in August / September, 1959.
Name Canadian Civil Registration
Marianas CF-LYJ
Philippine CF-LYK
Hawaii CF-LYL
Caroline CF-LYM
– Fairey Aviation of Victoria was contracted to do the air tanker conversions of the Mars. Work on the “Marianas” started in the fall of 1959 and was completed by early summer 1960. The aircraft worked six fires that season.
– June 23 1961, on the third mission of that season, “Marianas” Mars and a four man crew were dispatched to a fire approximately 19 miles west of Nanaimo. On the first bombing run on the fire, the Mars struck trees with the right wing, crashed and burned destroying the aircraft and killing all occupants.
– Conversion of the “Philippine” Mars started in the fall and continued to the early summer of 1962.
– October 12 -13 1962, the “Caroline” Mars was written off after being overturned by Typhoon Freda while it was moored at the Victoria Airport. It remained there until it was scrapped in the fall of 1967.
– Work on conversion and improvements to the firebombing tank systems of the “Hawaii” Mars continued and it was online by May 1965. Hawaii Mars flew its last fire season in 2015 and has been stored at Sproat Lake since then. Hawaii Mars was the only one with fully updated cockpit and avionics systems.
– In late April 2024 Coulson announced “Philippine” Mars, also stored at Sproat Lake, would go to Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona, date tbd.
– March 28, 2024
At the CA Sproat Lake bomber base, there is a press conference where Minister Popham announces the BC government’s grant of $250,000 towards the Hawaii Mars rescue to BCAM. BCAM president Steve Nichol, local MLA Jodie Osborne and BCAM Mars project lead make speeches.
– British Columbia Operators of the Martin Mars aircraft:
- Forest Industries Flying Tankers (FIFT) 1960 to Sept 2001
- Flying Tankers Inc. (FTI) Sept 2001 to June 2007
- Coulson Aircrane Ltd. June 2007 to Present (June 2024)