Martin Mars engine failure

Martin Mars flying on 3 engines

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• airplane
• engine
• motor
• asymetric
• flyingboat
• failure

[Bullseye569]

No, it is not flown on less than four engines to save fuel. The engine is feathered for a reason - it likely was intentionally shut down due to a failure or as a precaution.

[CAFFlyer]

Sammys, I don't know where you got your information, but the P-3 only carries ~3000 gallons per load. The Mars can carry 7200 Gallons. In addition, since the Mars can reload simply by skimming the water, it can reload and drop again in 1/3 the time of a P-3, meaning that for every 3,000 gallons a P-3 puts on the fire, the Mars has put down over 20,000. Either way, FPL also has enough engines to last 'til 2020. The P-3's don't.

[Jayz159ify]

See if 3 of the engines go out on a Mars, better kiss yo ass goodbye

[mmichaeldonavon]

Has R-3350's engines? Wow! These came out (and were first run) in 1937!! Even the B-29's, of WWII, used them (initially I believe, then R4360's? Not sure of that). These 3350 are MONSTERS - and are tempermental. But, hey, the Martin-Mars planes are also WWII vingtage. One good thing about using these planes: It will help with the unemployment figures. Probably takes hundreds of "maintenance hrs." to get a few "flying hrs"; lots of jobs for lots of folks.

[TheMrgringoboy]

Martin Mars info: length 120 ft, wing span 200 ft, height 38 ft, wing area 3,686 sq ft, 4 Wright Cyclone R3350 engines producing 2500 hp each. Fuel Range 2,700 nautical miles/ 3 hrs + 1 hr reserve. Water tank capacity 7,200 gal. Gel capacity 3,100 litres concentrate/ mixed into 20 water loads. Speed- Max 190 kts, Cruise 165 kts, Bombing 120 kts. Water reload 7,200 gal in 35 seconds. more info below

[TheMrgringoboy]

I'm sure that if the U.S. could have forseen the need and had the forsight they would not have sold the Martin Mars. But as a simple transport they didn't see the need. A logging consortium operating on Vancouver Island bought the aircraft over 50 years ago. They converted it to a water bomber. The Mars, with a close water source can deliver up to 91,000 litres of product per hour. In 2007 in California the Mars produced 436,000 litres per 7-hr flight period, several days in a row. See below-

[TheMrgringoboy]

"A drop height of 300ft ensures the full load of gel, (see comment below), reaches terminal velocity, load brak fully occurs, and rain down effect occurs achieving caverage level8 on the desired target* The Mars has the highest rate in the industry at 2600 gal/sec with a 3.5 acre coverage per drop that includes 2 acres at coverage level 4 and higher. The Mars drops water/gel/foam. Fuel range/ 2,700 miles (4 hrs), water capacity/ 7,200 gal. It scoops a full load of water in 35 sec. *JRM-3 MARS

[TheMrgringoboy]

Martin Mars were sold to Canada. In Canada they which converted them to waterbombers. (My dad was one of the team that did the work). Mars carries a Gel injection system which is mixed with the water load. It carries 3100 litres of Gel concentrate. That is 20 loads of Geldropped before they need to reload.The gel is mixed with the water as it enters the tank at 760litres/second.. It is a 3% gel mix, but that can be adjusted in flight. The Mars has the highest tank flow rate in the industry.

[jonasdoherty]

@CAFFlyer I'll take a P-3 over the Mars any day. Reasons: 1.) P-3s carry Retardant, the Mars carries water. There's a huge difference in effectiveness between the two. 2.) The Mars is much less maneuverable than a P-3 and therefore less accurate/effective. Lastly, the Mar's ability to get water to the fire depends on its proximity to a suitable water source. It would be a very rare occasion that the Mars would ever deliver more gallons to a fire over the course of a day. Cool plane though.