Martin Mars for sale.

Found at http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=e47f7e92-9b4e-4b5e-9021-adc23cc9ea02 :

“Mars water bombers to stay at Port Alberni

Sandra McCulloch
CanWest News Service

Saturday, April 14, 2007

The Martin Mars water bombers are staying in Port Alberni, thanks to a
decision by TimberWest to accept a bid by the Coulson Group of
Companies, a major heli-logging firm.

“It’s good news, really good news for Port Alberni,” said Port Alberni
mayor Ken McRae on Friday.

“[CEO Wayne Coulson] is a local person, born in the community, and
employs 400 to 500 workers in our area already, a good corporate
citizen. They couldn’t have gone to a better organization.”

The terms of the deal are confidential, said TimberWest spokesman Steve
Lorimer, but added that the aircraft will continue to be based at Sproat
Lake near Port Alberni.

That’s great news for the 22 mechanics and engineers who maintain the
aircraft through Flying Tankers. Manager Terry Dixon said Friday the
workers are relieved. “The main thing is the planes will stay for awhile
and Coulson intends to operate them. [The planes] are too young for
museums.”

TimberWest announced in November 2006 that the two huge water bombers were for sale. The news saddened many on Vancouver Island. The amphibious [sic] aircraft won admirers over 46 years fighting forest
fires in the area.

The bombers were originally operated by a consortium of five forest
companies, but all dropped out except TimberWest. Reasons for the sale
were economic. It costs TimberWest $1 million a year to maintain the
aircraft and a lack of forest fires in recent years kept them mainly
idle.”

Just think you could be the only person to answer the question, “What’s life like on Mars”?;)

I think all men can answer that question!;)

I doubt whether anyone will be able to keep these airworthy, due to finance and spares issues. I think one should go to the U.S.Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola NAS, Fla., and be repainted back to its Navy midnite blue scheme. If the other was sold privately, perhaps it could be used as a ‘houseboat’? Just think you could be the only person to answer the question, “What’s life like on Mars”?;)

She is I gather only on loan for 5 years – see here: http://www.starliner.net/

Five years on exterior display? I would be very surprised if it ever flew again and have similar suspicions about the Sunderland flying again, I think they have too much on their plate to consider either project, but as Pondskater says, a statement from the Museum would be nice. Kermit Weeks seems to have whims and fancies (and money) to cater for anything that catches his eye, but then his enthusiasm goes off at a tangent. Maybe the Fantasy Museum needs its own thread.:rolleyes:

…………….. There is an ex- Lufthansa Connie outside, which I was told didn’t belong to Kermit. ………………….

Actually its a Starliner that was originally part of Lufthansa’s fleet but years later served with Air Venturers and was an occasional visitor to Gatwick. She spent many years more recently stored at Sanford with Maurice Roundy and amazingly was ferried into Fantasy of Flight after years of inactivity. I well recall photographing her in the UK and at Sanford and never believed she would fly again – how wrong I was. She is I gather only on loan for 5 years – see here: http://www.starliner.net/

Tim

At any rate, perhaps the Florida climate is being kinder to the airframe than if it was in the UK.

And, while it was airworthy, it was flown from freshwater. In the UK Edward Hulton had to operate from salt water and, often had no hangar. He tried hard to find shelter and freshwater but, after the council turned down his final plan to base the Sunderland at Chatham, she was sold to Kermit.
I think she is at a good home. Maybe she will be flown one day, maybe she’ll just be seen by tourists to Florida who will discover that the Brits once built large flying boats too.
But although speculation is interesting, it would be good to hear from Fantasy of Flight what the long terms plans are for the multi engine aircraft.

I visited Fantasy of Flight twice in early January. The Sunderland was inside. There is an ex- Lufthansa Connie outside, which I was told didn’t belong to Kermit. On the first occasion the B-24 was outside, but was inside on my second visit. There was a PBY, recently donated to the collection on the ramp.

Does anyone know when was the last time one of Kermit’s multi-engine types flew?

Kermit’s Sunderland ( or should I say the Sunderland that Kermit oversees) was in the hangar at my last visit. It had been out on the tarmac for quite a while. Now there is a Connie out in the heat! They have one of their new hangars built and open and thus can keep more under cover. I think that makes three large plus workshops. He knows only too well what weathering and bad weather can do to aircraft!

Bad – he pushes the Sunderland to the back of the hangar while playing with the new toy and its condition deteriorates.

If you mean that (being pushed into a hangar) literally…it might not be a bad thing, I believe it’s outside now.
If it ever returns to the UK, would it be inside? Probably not.

At any rate, perhaps the Florida climate is being kinder to the airframe than if it was in the UK.

It seems the plane being owned by Weeks is viewed unfavorably by some…but in the future, his ownership will probably be seen as a good thing in terms of its long term survival..giving it a home when there apearently wasn’t a lot of interest in it in the UK..in a fairly benign climate.
Hopefully, it will return to the UK one day…

Yes but if he gets a flyable mars he might sell the sunderland ?
Could be good or bad?

Good – A Mars purchase rejuvenates interest in large flying boats, the Sunderland is made airworthy and the pair make a trip to Europe.
Bad – he pushes the Sunderland to the back of the hangar while playing with the new toy and its condition deteriorates.
Inbetween – the Mars goes somewhere else and the Sunderland remains as it is.

Depends if your glass is half full, half empty or simply too big for the drink.

There are now two groups competing for the purchase of the Martin Mars. They are the British Columbian Aviation Council and the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum. Both groups are pledged to display one aircraft in a museum when their working life is complete which is expected to be in about ten years time.

from the Fantasy of Flight website (About kermit Weeks):
[INDENT]What else does Kermit want? He’s reluctant to say, for fear of driving up the price, but admits to coveting a Martin Mars–a flying boat even bigger than the one he’s got. The last examples still in existence are in Canada, serving as water bombers for a timber consortium. They aren’t for sale. Perhaps someday.[/INDENT]
Guess we know where at least one of them will be going 🙂

Yes but if he gets a flyable mars he might sell the sunderland ?

Could be good or bad?

curlyboy

from the Fantasy of Flight website (About kermit Weeks):
[INDENT]What else does Kermit want? He’s reluctant to say, for fear of driving up the price, but admits to coveting a Martin Mars–a flying boat even bigger than the one he’s got. The last examples still in existence are in Canada, serving as water bombers for a timber consortium. They aren’t for sale. Perhaps someday.[/INDENT]
Guess we know where at least one of them will be going 🙂

Thanks for posting this news link.

I do hope these can continue as operational aircraft as they comprise the last working examples of a tradition of large piston-powered flying boats. I have been fortunate enough to go on board these machines and to see them operating. If I can locate my slides I’ll scan some in due course to show a flavour of the cavernous cockpit. The operator was always very welcoming during visits. My abiding memory of going out to board the Mars was that my “taxi” comprised a Police patrol launch. The officer was on duty and half way out to the flying boat we had to divert whilst he dealt with some under-age drinkers who were in charge of a boat. So there he was charging these unfortunates whilst there I was photographing the Mars in readiness for boarding. The size of the Mars can only really be fully appreciated when you get right close to it and then look around – it’s a sight you will NEVER forget. Having been interested in aviation for just under 50 years now the Sproat Lake experiences I will always treasure. I also recall in a more recent year seeing one of the Mars fly over Vancouver itself on its way back to Vancouver Island and once again the hairs on the back of my neck stood up with my realisation the Mars were still active and that again I was seeing something in aviation which could soon be over … I hope not.

More pictures in my report from 2004 here:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30634&highlight=mars