MARTIN JRM MARS
$9.95
Title: Martin JRM Mars
The Martin Mars was originally designed as a long range patrol flying boat and first flew as the XPB2M-1 in 1942. The US Navy realised that the concept was outdated and the aircraft was repurposed as a long range transport. 20 were ordered as the JRM-1, but when WW2 ended only one had been delivered and the order was limited to the 5 more then on the production line. The prototype was scrapped, and 2 aircraft were lost to accidents in service, so four examples remained when they were sold as surplus in 1959.
The four remaining aircraft were purchased by a Canadian company formed by a consortium of forestry companies, and they were converted to water bomber configuration able to collect 30 tons of water during a 22 second fast taxi. One example (Marianas Mars) was lost in a fatal accident in 1961 and a second (Caroline Mars) was damaged beyond repair during a typhoon in 1962. The two remaining aircraft (Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars) were used in the fire-bombing role continuously until around 2006 when one was subject to extensive maintenance and renovation. Neither aircraft has been used operationally since around 2012 with the owners planning to donate Philippine Mars to the US Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola.
This title contains two flight manuals for the initial US Navy variant of the JRM along with a civil flight manual for the aircraft when first used for fire-bombing operations. The files have been scanned from the original flight manuals and retain any colour pages.
