Martin Mars bomber heading to the BC Aviation Museum

A big, literally, piece of British Columbia’s aviation history will soon fly to its final resting spot.

The Hawaii Martin Mars water bomber will be enshrined in the British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM) to ensure its story can be shared for generations to come.

The Province says it’s expected the massive water bomber will fly from the Coulson Aviation Tanker Base in Port Alberni to Victoria in what will be its final flight before becoming the centrepiece of the BCAM’s new wildfire aviation exhibit in North Saanich.

Tourism Minister Lana Popham says the aircraft is a “proud symbol of BC’s ingenuity and innovation, which represents cutting-edge technology in aviation firefighting of its time.

“We recognize the value the Hawaii Martin Mars water bomber holds for many people and have heard their desire to have it housed in the BCAM, where it can be displayed and protected as an important piece of our province's history,” she explained.

The Province will provide $250,000 in one-time funding to the museum to establish its new wildfire aviation exhibit around the Martin Mars bomber.

It will be an interactive exhibit, notes a release from the Ministry of Tourism, inviting visitors to explore the plane up close and learn about its historical, cultural and aeronautical significance.

"This is great news for people with an interest or who work in the aviation industry, and for B.C.'s cultural and tourism sectors," said Bob D'Eith, parliamentary secretary for arts and film.

"Our government is pleased to support this cooperative effort to add this iconic water bomber to BCAM's permanent collection, where it is sure to become a part of the signature attractions BC has to offer our visitors and residents."

The Hawaii Martin Mars water bomber was last deployed during the summer of 2015 to fight wildfires in BC, California, Mexico and Alberta.

Now just one of two of its kind in existence, the behemoth of a tanker provided five decades of service to BC after being converted in 1958.

Prior to being a wildfire-fighting plane in BC, it was a transport carrier for the United States Navy and served as the largest air ambulance during the Korean War.

Coulson Aviation will enlist five former certified maintenance engineers and four flight crew to complete around 10,000 hours of preparation and flight training over the next six months.

It will then need to pass federal inspections, crew training and test flights as part of a multi-phased process to transport the tanker from Port Alberni to the Greater Victoria Area.

Since the Hawaii Martin Mars can only land and take off on water, its final flight will be from Sproat Lake to the Saanich Inlet beside Victoria International Airport (YYJ).

It will then be brought up on a ramp and mounted on a trail at the Canadian Coast Guard Base Patricia Bay before being transported to the BCAM at YYJ.