The Hawaii Mars water bomber will be taking one final flight.

The iconic red-and-white Martin Mars water bomber will be flying to its new home at the British Columbia Aviation Museum later this year, after a $250,000 funding announcement by the province. The funding will 含羞草研究社減rotect and preserve含羞草研究社� the Hawaii Mars 含羞草研究社渁s a significant part of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 aviation history,含羞草研究社� says the B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.

The water bomber含羞草研究社檚 final flight from Coulson Aviation Tanker Base on Sproat Lake in Port Alberni to the Saanich Inlet beside Victoria International Airport is expected to take place before the end of 2024 and will be a multi-phase process that involves passing federal inspections, crew training and test flights.

Coulson Aviation will enlist five former certified maintenance engineers and four flight crew to complete approximately 10,000 hours of aircraft preparation and flight retraining over six months. Pete Killin and Rick Matthews are two of the pilots that will be taking the Martin Mars on its final flight. Killin has more than 1,000 hours of flying time in the Mars.

含羞草研究社淚t deserves a proper resting place,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 think of a better place than to be the main attraction for the firefighting industry.含羞草研究社� He said the final water drop 含羞草研究社渨ill be the pilots crying.含羞草研究社�

At the British Columbia Aviation Museum, the aircraft will be established as the centrepiece of a new B.C. wildfire aviation exhibit. The new exhibit will be interactive, inviting visitors to explore the features of the aircraft up close and foster an appreciation for its historical, cultural and aeronautical significance.

含羞草研究社淚 am fascinated by this aircraft and its historical ties to British Columbia,含羞草研究社� tourism minister Lana Popham said while standing under the giant wing of the Hawaii Mars.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a proud symbol of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 ingenuity, innovation and it is an impressive example of reuse, recycle and repurpose. If it weren含羞草研究社檛 for a group of B.C. timber companies envisioning a new use for these aircraft, they might not have been part of B.C. history.含羞草研究社�

The Hawaii Mars was one of five Martin Mars aircraft originally conceived as military bombers in the United States during the Second World War. It started service in 1945 as a transport aircraft for the United States Navy.

It was later purchased by a consortium of timber companies in British Columbia and converted to a water bomber to protect the timber lands on Vancouver Island. In 2007, it was sold含羞草研究社攁long with the Philippine Mars含羞草研究社攖o Port Alberni含羞草研究社檚 Coulson Aviation.

The Hawaii Mars hasn含羞草研究社檛 taken part in firefighting action since 2015, when the province signed a 30-day agreement to use the aircraft. The contract was not renewed.

含羞草研究社淚t was the beginning in 2007 of our fixed wing air firefighting program,含羞草研究社� said Gary Collinge, representing the Coulson family at the announcement. Collinge has worked with Coulson Aviation in a variety of roles for 50 years. He said the Coulson family is 含羞草研究社渢hrilled含羞草研究社� that the Hawaii Mars will stay on Vancouver Island. 含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e excited to participate and support this whole program.含羞草研究社�

The project will cost approximately $1 million to move the Hawaii Mars and house it in Victoria, said project lead Richard Mosdell of the B.C. Aviation Museum. The museum is raising half a million dollars, the Coulson family is donating another half million and Heritage Canada is expected to contribute in the future, he said. The Victoria Airport Authority has given the museum some land where the Hawaii Mars will sit until a new hangar can be built at the museum.

含羞草研究社淭his is a perfect start and we含羞草研究社檙e able to kick-start preparations so that we can get the aircraft ready for the big blockbuster arrival weekend in the fall.含羞草研究社�

Mosdell said the museum was in talks to have both the Hawaii and Philippine Mars at the museum, but ultimately decided on one aircraft. No plans for the Philippine Mars were discussed.

Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne and Penny Cote, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District director for Sproat Lake, both said the announcement is bittersweet. 含羞草研究社淲e have so much pride here in the Alberni Valley that we have a global leader in aerial firefighting,含羞草研究社� Osborne said. 含羞草研究社� I know it含羞草研究社檚 going to be a bittersweet day when we see her take off from Sproat Lake for the last time.含羞草研究社�

More to come含羞草研究社�