Happy Retirement Hawaiian Mars

[Sleek-Jet]

Fast forward to about the 24 minute mark....

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I believe the Hawaiian is the last flying example of the Martin Mars, she's on her way to be a museum piece. Hard to believe this is an 80 year old airplane.

 

[Taboma]

Fast forward to about the 24 minute mark....

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I believe the Hawaiian is the last flying example of the Martin Mars, she's on her way to be a museum piece. Hard to think believe this is an 80 year old airplane.

That would have been an impressive sight in it's role as a water bomber.

 

[JB in so cal]

 

[chadzilla]

The Hawaii mars was stationed in Lake Elsinore for a few summers in the early 2000's. It was absolutely one of the most impressive things I've ever witnessed in person. Watching it take off and then circle back for a scoop run was awesome! That big plane would approach the lake from the north end, right next to lake elsinore marina, damn near clipping the cattails, touch water and then you heard the pilot pour on the throttles as it scooped up 7500 gallons of water in about 30 seconds and lift off just a few hundred yards from the south end of the lake! The first time I saw them take on water, I honestly thought they were going to crash just before the lake they were so low. Just imagine what is taking place inside the cockpit! Approaching the lake, the plane is setup for landing. Engines throttled back, flaps down, below minimum airspeed for true flying. As soon as it touches water, the pilot now has to maintain level flight as the engineer opens the scoops and begins filling the plane up. as the plane fills, it gets heavier which requires the pilot to adjust throttle and flaps so the damn thing doesn't become a boat! The pilot now has to fly at exactly the correct speed or else the plane lifts off or becomes a boat with too much wetted surface for lift off at maximum weight and crashes. Commercial pilots and such ain't got shit on these guys. I honestly believe these guys are the best there is!

 

[Taboma]

Ahhhh geeze, appears they were using it on the fire that claimed our house, although there was another smaller one burning in SD county closer to Elsinore, so hard to say.

 

[Flatsix66]

The Hawaii mars was stationed in Lake Elsinore for a few summers in the early 2000's. It was absolutely one of the most impressive things I've ever witnessed in person. Watching it take off and then circle back for a scoop run was awesome! That big plane would approach the lake from the north end, right next to lake elsinore marina, damn near clipping the cattails, touch water and then you heard the pilot pour on the throttles as it scooped up 7500 gallons of water in about 30 seconds and lift off just a few hundred yards from the south end of the lake! The first time I saw them take on water, I honestly thought they were going to crash just before the lake they were so low. Just imagine what is taking place inside the cockpit! Approaching the lake, the plane is setup for landing. Engines throttled back, flaps down, below minimum airspeed for true flying. As soon as it touches water, the pilot now has to maintain level flight as the engineer opens the scoops and begins filling the plane up. as the plane fills, it gets heavier which requires the pilot to adjust throttle and flaps so the damn thing doesn't become a boat! The pilot now has to fly at exactly the correct speed or else the plane lifts off or becomes a boat with too much wetted surface for lift off at maximum weight and crashes. Commercial pilots and such ain't got shit on these guys. I honestly believe these guys are the best there is!

Yeah, I totally remember them stationed in Elsinore those years. They had a big ground support crew, Coulsen from Canada, would see these guys in downtown occasionally. I live up on Main Divide, looking down I would see them take off and circle the area to gain altitude. So cool. The sound was unlike anything.

 

[mothershipper]

The Philippine Mars is scheduled to fly to Pima air museum I believe at the end of the year for its retirement.