they had to use these in 2003.. at the Shuswap lake... lol.. one broke down when it was picking up water, i;ve got pictures of it too... i think they are using them in Kelowna right now.... or they damn well should be
This plane just arrived here in Lake Elsinore, CA yesterday and will be stationed here for the next five months to fight fires in Southern California under contract with the U.S. Forest Service.
Not bad for a plane that was desigined in the 1930s and built in the early 1940s as a coastal patrol bird! The engines on her are bigger than the ones on the B-29 Superfortress. The fuel she burned in this three minute video would keep my V-6 Pontiac Grand Am running for a couple of years! A beautiful airplane and a very useful firefighting tool!
I hate to rain on your parade but they are basically the same engines- CW R-3350's. The major difference is the B-29 versions had turbo chargers as well as being internally supercharged. The Mars had only supercharged engines like the early Connies.
The B-29 flew with 4 P&W R3350-23/23A radials, that were turbosupercharged as you pointed out. THey produced 2,200 h.p. However, the Mars had 4 P&W R3350-24WA radials that produced 2400 h.p. I minor upgrade in horsepower, but sufficient to make my point. There were several models of the Mars that had P&W R-4360 radials that made 3,000 h.p. but they were destroyed in accidents or scrapped before the ones that Flying Tankers Inc. owns were bought and refurbished.
Ok, sure, turboprop engines would be more efficient. I guarantee you they wouldn't sound half as compelling though. I heard a CL-215 go overhead at full fine one time, what a noise. I can only imagine what four engines would sound like in person.
This plane is "landing" at Shasta Lake in Northern California today, 06-28-08, so it can help with all the fires there now. Wish I was home to see it.
I'll never forget these two monsters operating in Salmon Arm back in 98. They had a few circuits they would follow depending on where they were dumping water/wind conditions, one of which had them flying really low right over my house.
What a terrific video (THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING!) and a FABULOUS plane!
We sure could have used her in New Mexico over the last few weeks for our forest fires. Although we aren't lucky enough to have one here, we appreciate these great planes and the crews who fly them! They are the best kind of angels!
At age 7 in 1954, I and my Navy family flew in this very ship from Hawaii to San Francisco. We lost two engines mid-flight, an inboard one to mechanical failure and an outboard one on the opposite side to an oil leak/fire(it was extinguished).
Even with a full passenger load the pilot said we were good to go with only the two remaining engines because we were already airborn.
As a passanger ship it was a double decker with spiral stair cases at both ends.
This flew by my window this week- I look out over the water near Stanley Park in Vancouver and I nearly fell off of my chair; I'm used to seeing regular float planes then this monster flies by- I just found out what the plane was- thanks for the video.
I was camping at Rathrevor Beach in Parksville one day when the Hawaii Mars flew right over my head. If you think it looks big in the open, wait untill you are lucky enough to see it while you are in the forest, Simply Masssive, Simply AWESOME!!
u ppl think its big try going inside it. i been inside it a cupple of times and it is really small in there. it dose look bigger on the out side when it flys past u. and also it was bult in U.S.A. durring WW2 as a hevy bomber and its normal colour was navy blue. B.C. bought it and turend it into a flying tanker to fight fiers. there were also 4 of thos aircraft but two of them crased. the last two in Port Alberni on sprot lake on vancouver island.
It isn't underpowered. If that were so, this craft wouldn't be used to fight fires at all. Way too dangerous. If flies slow because it's designed to do that. It's quite agile really, for it's size. Not a speedy craft, which is actually hugely beneficial in doing slow low passes over fires.
quite underpowered, are you kidding me? With a wingspan of 200 feet, and taking of with 165,000 pounds of water on board, its a bit difficult to get that thing in the air, even with the 4, 2,400 HP Wright Duplex Cyclon engines
I didn't mean it as a bad thing, I myself think these are great aircraft, I just thought that it seemed to plod along and it looked like it was going for a walk in the park.
0:09
LaWLF4iL 3 weeks ago
Wonderful,
used to fly Bell 47g 3B1 cropspraying, these are of a similar era
caterpillard8h68a 5 months ago
great plane and video
stargazer444 7 months ago
It brings its own weather system!
freelunch99 1 year ago
Based on Vancouver Island one Hr from my home Town!
Finding your way home is so important!
Let me guide you their....
Mike McKillican
Remax of Nanaimo
buynanaimo1 1 year ago
should've dumped 7000 gallons of water on the crowd
kyberforce 1 year ago
@kyberforce that would kill them
LaWLF4iL 4 months ago
It's great some of those huge flying boats are still kept flying. An impressive aircraft from a different time.
catfish552 1 year ago
5*****
megatwingo 2 years ago
ice been in one of those there huge we dove off the wings
ghjkl477 2 years ago
What a majestic aircraft! thanks for the vid.
doffincodger 2 years ago
they had to use these in 2003.. at the Shuswap lake... lol.. one broke down when it was picking up water, i;ve got pictures of it too... i think they are using them in Kelowna right now.... or they damn well should be
matt24cooke 2 years ago 2
This plane just arrived here in Lake Elsinore, CA yesterday and will be stationed here for the next five months to fight fires in Southern California under contract with the U.S. Forest Service.
johnpc831 2 years ago 3
i just saw this plane today in lake elsnore....took some pics....watched it load and take off. it was pretty cool
pepsidruid 2 years ago
fuck that i woulndt land that bitch in that water full of boats
shaileemc 2 years ago
Not bad for a plane that was desigined in the 1930s and built in the early 1940s as a coastal patrol bird! The engines on her are bigger than the ones on the B-29 Superfortress. The fuel she burned in this three minute video would keep my V-6 Pontiac Grand Am running for a couple of years! A beautiful airplane and a very useful firefighting tool!
Hypgnosis671 2 years ago
I hate to rain on your parade but they are basically the same engines- CW R-3350's. The major difference is the B-29 versions had turbo chargers as well as being internally supercharged. The Mars had only supercharged engines like the early Connies.
klesmer 2 years ago 2
The B-29 flew with 4 P&W R3350-23/23A radials, that were turbosupercharged as you pointed out. THey produced 2,200 h.p. However, the Mars had 4 P&W R3350-24WA radials that produced 2400 h.p. I minor upgrade in horsepower, but sufficient to make my point. There were several models of the Mars that had P&W R-4360 radials that made 3,000 h.p. but they were destroyed in accidents or scrapped before the ones that Flying Tankers Inc. owns were bought and refurbished.
halogenfoxxe09 2 years ago 2
I am curious to know the hp ratings for the turbo compound 3350's on the dc-7 and super connie's. Any info would be appreciated.
klesmer 2 years ago
this waterbomber is awsome i got personel with it on the Miller Fire in the Trinity Alps California 2008.its crazy getting dumped on!!!!
roarkflamez 3 years ago
That is one beast of a plane. Wish it came all the way to PA.
planelover3640 3 years ago
Ok, sure, turboprop engines would be more efficient. I guarantee you they wouldn't sound half as compelling though. I heard a CL-215 go overhead at full fine one time, what a noise. I can only imagine what four engines would sound like in person.
YoungJim409 3 years ago 2
That is a gorgeous plane! Gotta give those pilots mad props for what they do.
r32adt3db 3 years ago 2
You'd better give 'em props or they won't go anywhere fast!
NVanWendy 2 years ago 2
This plane is "landing" at Shasta Lake in Northern California today, 06-28-08, so it can help with all the fires there now. Wish I was home to see it.
interstate5trucker 3 years ago
I'll never forget these two monsters operating in Salmon Arm back in 98. They had a few circuits they would follow depending on where they were dumping water/wind conditions, one of which had them flying really low right over my house.
headonnis 3 years ago
Lol i could see my boat in the vid. Good Old Sproat Lake :)
boeing747pilotklm 3 years ago
What a terrific video (THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING!) and a FABULOUS plane!
We sure could have used her in New Mexico over the last few weeks for our forest fires. Although we aren't lucky enough to have one here, we appreciate these great planes and the crews who fly them! They are the best kind of angels!
LTWeezie 3 years ago
LOL i could see my house in the vid :D
darkflavour 3 years ago
This is one really cool old airplane, it does things that "newer" ones can not, and talk about a drop load and zone.....huge
johnkamm 3 years ago
excellent!
GibsonElectric 3 years ago
At age 7 in 1954, I and my Navy family flew in this very ship from Hawaii to San Francisco. We lost two engines mid-flight, an inboard one to mechanical failure and an outboard one on the opposite side to an oil leak/fire(it was extinguished).
Even with a full passenger load the pilot said we were good to go with only the two remaining engines because we were already airborn.
As a passanger ship it was a double decker with spiral stair cases at both ends.
OlderPete 4 years ago 6
This flew by my window this week- I look out over the water near Stanley Park in Vancouver and I nearly fell off of my chair; I'm used to seeing regular float planes then this monster flies by- I just found out what the plane was- thanks for the video.
stephbelding 4 years ago 3
I was camping at Rathrevor Beach in Parksville one day when the Hawaii Mars flew right over my head. If you think it looks big in the open, wait untill you are lucky enough to see it while you are in the forest, Simply Masssive, Simply AWESOME!!
Novabus9228 4 years ago 2
u ppl think its big try going inside it. i been inside it a cupple of times and it is really small in there. it dose look bigger on the out side when it flys past u. and also it was bult in U.S.A. durring WW2 as a hevy bomber and its normal colour was navy blue. B.C. bought it and turend it into a flying tanker to fight fiers. there were also 4 of thos aircraft but two of them crased. the last two in Port Alberni on sprot lake on vancouver island.
navyfieldperson 4 years ago
looks a lot slower than it is going to because of its sheer size
aikeno7777 4 years ago 3
It isn't underpowered. If that were so, this craft wouldn't be used to fight fires at all. Way too dangerous. If flies slow because it's designed to do that. It's quite agile really, for it's size. Not a speedy craft, which is actually hugely beneficial in doing slow low passes over fires.
Petraglyph777 4 years ago
quite underpowered, are you kidding me? With a wingspan of 200 feet, and taking of with 165,000 pounds of water on board, its a bit difficult to get that thing in the air, even with the 4, 2,400 HP Wright Duplex Cyclon engines
Turnskie3 4 years ago
almost like a flying football field, Greece is apparently calling for help, I hope Coulson Tankers is able to answer.
titily 4 years ago
it looks quite underpowered
trubro 4 years ago
i think it does just fine (60 years of excellent service)
these aircraft are WORSHIPED by the people of british columbia they are irreplaceable weapons against the devastating forest fires
slayerfan6666 4 years ago 2
I didn't mean it as a bad thing, I myself think these are great aircraft, I just thought that it seemed to plod along and it looked like it was going for a walk in the park.
trubro 3 years ago
I was there =).
mx799 4 years ago