After four engine changes, the Philippine Mars could make its third attempt to head to an Arizona museum this week. Coulson Flying Tanker head Wayne Coulson told Nanaimo News Now that after months of maintenance and the engine swaps it's now up to the weather to decide the schedule for the ferry flight that will ultimately take it from its home base in Port Alberni on British Columbia's Vancouver Island to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson. “We’re looking at most likely stopping in San Francisco so that’s kind of the weather down the coast so we’re watching weather in Victoria, Seattle, Portland, and down to Northern California,” he said. “That’s kind of the window that we need to have a clear run at, so that’s what we’re mindful of and making sure we have good weather to move it.”
A lot of effort. But I’m glad someone is taking the time and using the resources to do it. When I started flying out of Torrance in the late '50s, I’m pretty sure one of the Mars sat in the Long Beach harbor occasionally.
In aviation practice, ‘re-engined’ usually means change to a new design of engine, such as changing the CL215 fire tankers to turbine engines.
All that was done to Philippine Mars was ensuring its engines were in good condition for the flight. Any replacement with engines that took Hawaii Mars from Sproat Lake to Patricia Bay for BCAM used the same model of engine.
Plans for the next hop are not clear, in public at least.
The airplane reached San Francisco Bay as planned, where there is a navy museum and retired aircraft carrier, at Alameda.
Originally the next stop was to be in San Diego where there is an active USN base.
We’ll see if it does or just expedites Job 1 - getting to a lake in AZ, roughy 700 nm from SF.
Choice of lake in AZ has been kept quiet to reduce crowds, but hopefully locals can step up to police the lake to provide safety for landing. (That was a problem for testing and departure of Hawaii Mars from Sproat Lake but it was taken care of somehow. For its landing in Patricia Bay there was policing of some kind. RCN handled the unexpected landing of Philippine Mars in Patricia Bay.
In 1974 I flew the Lockheed 1049 for a short while…the 3350’s with PRTs were a little touchy. Glad I wasn’t the flight engineer. We live in Arizona and I think I know the lake they’ll use. My wife and I want to watch its arrival.
Roger- there was a Sikorsky VS44 four engine flying boat used to fly from Long Beach harbor to Catalina in the ‘60s. I remember seeing it take off when on my dad’s boat in the harbor. Almost hit us. Must have been about 1960, the year I started flying lessons at TOA.
Anyone know the tail number? I think it’s going to Roosevelt Lake or maybe Lake Pleasant. Would love to see it. Used to watch them fighting fires in B.C. when I was a kid.
Fortunately the two extant Mars do not have power recovery turbines, though extra power is always useful. Nevertheless big roundies take TLC including preventative maintenance - just even more with PRTs.
DC-7Cs had PRTs.
I think early Connies didn’t have PRTs, ones for longer range did.
Turboprops were considered and perhaps tested but not implemented, whereas the Bristol Britannia had turboprops.
Connies had triple tails to fit in hangers, such were popular for bombers in WWII - heavy and costly compared to single tail.
Hey Mike! Maybe that was the one I remember. Probably '59. I was flying C&D Champs and Tri Champ solo by then. Amazing they would turn us loose in the Champs after about 10 hours or so. I don’t think we ever wrecked one.
Hope you’re doing great. I spend most of my time at medical events it seems. Had a bone marrow biopsy yesterday, and I get another pet scan next week. One thing after another.
It’s been over four years since I sold my Chief. Haven’t flown since. I would actually like to fly a Champ again once. None around though. I thought I’d maybe take a C172 for a flight with instructor safety pilot. Our local school wanted $250 an hour for that opportunity. Passed on that.
