The Mars Bomber departs

[IronNoggin]

Likely the best local turn-out I've seen here to send her off. Over 5,000 folks!

Video of her last pass by:

https://imgur.com/k5Uu9uy

 

[Dave H]

Passed over here then circled a couple of times.




Photo by Greg Askey.




Take care.

 

[Alex_c]

Flew right over us on Salt Spring. Was so low we could almost see the smile on the pilot’s face. Very cool! Edit: Just made another pass with the Snowbirds in tow.

 

[Adler]

Escorted over Victoria by the snowbirds.

 

[abl]

Fly over with snow birds at Pat bay

 

[Sir Reel]

Long video, not mine.
Martin mars shows up about 15:30 with the snowbirds

 

[seachicken]

Damn, would have liked to be at my parents house to see. Nefeuw went out in the tinny and got a similar video to @Sir Reel

 

[IronNoggin]

 

[Pineapple Express]

Just found this pic on Reddit: Hawaii Mars with aurora borealis last night.

 

[Max123]

I recall seeing one of these in either the late 1990s or early 2000s in the Okanagan.

I remember seeing this absolutely huge water bomber coming in for a long run along the lake, as soon as it was full the pilots were full on the throttle to gain altitude, and these huge WW2 era engines just come alive - huge sensory experience as the sound of 14,000hp reverberates off the mountains.

 

[seachicken]

I recall seeing one of these in either the late 1990s or early 2000s in the Okanagan.

I remember seeing this absolutely huge water bomber coming in for a long run along the lake, as soon as it was full the pilots were full on the throttle to gain altitude, and these huge WW2 era engines just come alive - huge sensory experience as the sound of 14,000hp reverberates off the mountains.

It was in Kelowna in 2003 on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire for sure, some of the boaters wouldn't get out of its way. Lakes and fuel availability were major hurdles for operations, it generally returned to Sprout Lake every day for refueling. I think it briefly was used in the states for a bit but they had to set up fuel on a lake there.

 

[Max123]

It was in Kelowna in 2003 on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire for sure, some of the boaters wouldn't get out of its way. Lakes and fuel availability were major hurdles for operations, it generally returned to Sprout Lake every day for refueling. I think it briefly was used in the states for a bit but they had to set up fuel on a lake there.

That's where I saw it - picking up water on the US side of Lake Osoyoos. I think it was for a fire south of Oroville. I tried to google it and see which fire it was, but couldn't find any records/photos on the internet as the Mountain Park fire was the main news story.

I do recall some speed boats getting awful close - but I think that may have been part of the reason why they were picking up water on the US side, generally not nearly as busy.

 

[Sir Reel]

Picture on Okanagan Lake in 2003. You can see a number of homes burnt on the hill behind it.
Something like 250 homes were lost all in that one night