Canada's Mars bomber off to U.S. for firefighting tests: California Fires

Opinion

Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Nice to see an old Canadian World War II Troop Carrier, converted to firefighting will assist the US in their fight of California Wildfires, by dropping water gel mixtures to snuff out fires at low altitudes in what is a one of a kind water bomber.

And who said Military aircraft are the Devils Spawn? Oh yeah Lefty Hollywood celebs, thats who! So lets hope this water bomber misses their homes, after all those Hollywood Celebs, like Michael Moore, Susan Saradon, Baldwins and the Penns and other like minded Celebs would not want to seem hypocritical saying to their friends over "Tofu lattes" that their asses were saved by a military war machine. That would be just Silly.  Cause as we all know, what goes around comes around.

Here is a video of the Mars Bomber at work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN5PY91sO7A

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=d88e1da8-7678-4f83-9605-7af8d190f24e

Mars bomber off to U.S. for firefighting tests

Sandra Mcculloch Times Colonist

Sunday, August 24, 2008

A converted military helicopter equipped with infrared cameras and high-tech gear will team up with B.C.'s Martin Mars water bomber this week for a series of tests over California wildfires.

The upcoming tests could earn the Hawaii Mars, owned by the Coulson Group of Port Alberni, a secure place as a U.S. firefighting asset.

Owner Wayne Coulson just hopes the aircraft, built during the Second World War to carry troops and cargo, finally starts earning real money.

The province released the Martin Mars from its firefighting contract here since this summer, like last, has been uneventful in B.C. Last summer, the Martin Mars worked just 22 hours in B.C., said Coulson.

The Martin Mars is the only aircraft in North America certified to drop the water/gel mixture on structures, which could drastically reduce the financial and human costs of wildfires.

It all bodes well for the Martin Mars's future in the U.S., said Coulson. "We [in B.C.] have fires that get out of control two weeks a year. Down there, it's seven months a year," he said. Now the U.S. authorities are looking for more proof of the Martin Mars's ability to snuff out fires, particularly on structures, and this week a unique series of tests will begin in the air above California.

The water bomber will drop its mixture over different kinds of terrain, and its effectiveness will be recorded on thermal-imaging cameras aboard the helicopter.

If the Mars proves it can safely and effectively put out fires threatening homes and other buildings, it could find a lucrative niche in the U.S. firefighting arsenal, Coulson said.