Martin Mars (part 1 of 2): history and specs

The Martin Mars, capable of landing on water, was developed for the U.S. Navy towards the end of the second World War as a transport aircraft. A total of six were built two were lost by 1950. The remaining four were retired by the U.S. Navy in 1959 and purchased by a Canadian Company known as Flying Tankers Inc. One crashed in 1961 and another was destroyed the next year in a typhoon. The remaining two, Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars were converted for fire fighting in 1963 and are currently operated by the Coulson Group, based at Sproat Lake near Port Alberni, British Columbia.

A wikipedia article on the Martin Mars may be found here.

Each tanker is capable of carrying 7,200 gallons of water and has a 600 gallon foam tank. Finally are capable of delivering thermo-gel. Thermo-gel, also known as a water enhancer, does what its name implies. It enhances water’s suppression capabilities and is better able to coat fuels. If you are interested in reading more about water enhancers, see Fire Management Today, volume 67, issue 2. Starting on page 24, you will find a short article called: “The Latest on the evolution of chemical fire supression – water enhancers eyed for the future.” The authors include a text box with a brief description of foam, water enhancers, and retardants. The current issue of FMT along with archives of most back issues may be accessed on this USDA Forest Service webpage.

Refilling the water tanks involves “skimming” the water surface while maintaining a speed of 70 to 80 mph. Through the use of a scooping system water is injected into the tanks. It takes approximately 25 seconds to fill the water tanks. The video below shows this process:



For more information on the two Martin Mars aircraft, see this Coulson Group webpage. This page also includes a link to a specifications page.



A pilot, co-pilot and two flight engineers make up the crew of the Martin Mars.

Specifications:
Overall Length: 120 ft.
Height: 48 ft.
Wing Span: 200 ft. (61 m)
Gross Weight: 162,000 lbs. (73,483 kg)
Cruising Speed to Fire: 190 mph
Drop Speed: 138 mph
Landing Approach Speed: 115 mph
Touchdown Speed: 92 mph
Fuel Consumption (Cruise): 420 US gal
Fuel Consumption (Operations): 780 US gal
Operations Duration (normal): 5 1/2 hours
Area Covered, single drop: 3 to 4 acres
Drop Height: 150 to 200 ft.

Stay tuned for part 2 on the Martin Mars coming in a couple of days.