Posted on 07/30/2016 4:43:46 PM PDT by smokingfrog
The "Hawaii Mars II", one of two remaining Martin Mars, performs flybys and drops 7,200 gallons of water for the crowd at the 2016 EAA AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, WI. This massive flying boat is the world's largest warbird, and an exceptionally rare sight. It was delivered to the US Navy in 1946 and later converted for civilian use as a fire fighting aircraft. During AirVenture, the Mars is flying off of Lake Winnebago just a couple miles east of Oshkosh.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtu.be ...
FYI she ran aground while morning and has a couple holes in her today or last night
Delivery in 1946 means it doesn’t qualify as a warbird unless it saw action later in Korea.
Thanks for the update.
http://wbay.com/2016/07/30/worlds-largest-water-bomber-damaged-at-eaa-airventure/
I was not being a smart aleck just a big fan of that thing i heard from a pilot that is there
It’s a warbird. A WWII warbird. the aviation community doesn’t follow sorority rules like that.
And if it did, a state of war legally existed with Japan until the peace treaty was signed in 1951.
Uh oh ping
Hopefully, they can get her fixed up without too much trouble from the FAA.
The original patrol bomber concept was considered obsolete by this time, and the Mars was converted into a transport aircraft designated the XPB2M-1R. The Navy was satisfied with the performance, and ordered 20 of the modified JRM-1 Mars. The first, named Hawaii Mars, was delivered in June 1945, but with the end of World War II the Navy scaled back their order, buying only the five aircraft which were then on the production line.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_JRM_Mars
If i was rich silly a$$ rich like the clintons i would buy it and turn it into a aerohome and tour the world
I’d keep it as it is and next time a bunch of stinky hippies have some occupation I’d administer some personal hygiene from 500 feet!
A bit like this 1950’s conversion of a PBY Catalina?
http://www.messynessychic.com/2014/04/24/all-aboard-the-flying-yacht-circa-1950/
You can take a non-warbird and dress it up to look like one, but its just not the same as a legitimate warbird with a record of flyng missions in theater. I’ve been doing restorations for close to 40 years. For people like you who just go by looks, it probably doesn’t matter, but when you pay for one, there is a huge difference in price when you pay for an aircraft with a mission record. Plus there can be considerable cost involved in backdating aircraft to appear as it would in theater.
Some fiberglass patch, a little bondo, some block sanding, a little self-etching primer and a blend job. Two and half hours max.
Back in 1951, my Dad was recalled by the Navy and we were living on Alameda Naval Airstation. My Mom would take me down to the bay shore to watch the Mars land an take off. I still remember that clearly. What a sight!
But it's been partially cannibalized and only has one working engine that she fires up once a month.
I thought the 1/72 Short Sunderland Airfix model I built as a kid was a giant.
The Martin Mars has about an 80% longer wingspan than that Sunderland...:^)
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