PORT ALBERNI - The Philippine Mars, the oldest Mars Water Bomber in the world, is being repaired and repainted with plans to fly it to the world's largest naval museum in Florida.
The Philippine Mars has been out of commission for five years and is beginning to deteriorate on the dock. Up until 2007, the Philippine Mars was used in conjunction with the Hawaii Mars to fight forest fires around B.C.. But advances in firefighting and new techniques mean there is only a demand for one water bomber, leaving the Philippine Mars with little value.
The company that owns the Philippine Mars, the Coulson Group, was contacted by the naval museum in Florida about bringing the bomber to the museum as part of its world war two exhibit. The plane was originally built by the US Navy in 1946 and was used during the Korean War.
The group will fix up the Philippine and repaint it back to its original naval blue colour. The plan is to have the plane ready to fly down to Florida by late 2012. The Coulson Group is expecting to receive something back in exchange for the Philippine.
The Martin Mars aircraft named Philippine Mars is under restoration and will soon be going to the US Navy Museum in Pensacola Florida ,It will be painted the same blue Navy colors from her early work days.
Filmed Aug 9 2012 at the home base of the Martin Mars Water Bombers on Sproat Lake in Port Alberni Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada
Click Below to see Martin Mars Water Bomber all 4 engines starting up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wug90cngexY
Please Visit Their Webs Sites
http://www.martinmars.com/
http://www.coulsongroup.com/aviation.html
Future Home of the Philippine Mars
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/
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