The Philippine Mars water bomber — a fixture on Sproat Lake near Port Alberni for decades — left Vancouver Island on Sunday, made an overnight stop in San Francisco, then took off again on its journey to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
The Mars touched down in the waters off San Francisco at 3:54 p.m. on Sunday, a few hours after taking off from Sproat Lake.
Plans originally called for a pit stop in San Diego, but on Monday, the Philippine Mars set off inland from San Francisco, and landed in Lake Pleasant, Arizona about 4:15 p.m.
Britt Coulson of Coulson Aviation told the Times Colonist the plane bypassed San Diego because of challenges with weather, timing and maintenance issues.
The Philippine Mars, the last airworthy Martin Mars water bomber, was supposed to begin the journey to its final home in Arizona in December, but mechanical problems led to an emergency landing in Patricia Bay.
Last month, Coulson Aviation returned the plane to Sproat Lake, where crews worked on major engine fixes.
Philippine Mars is one of four Martin Mars aircraft converted to water-bombing tankers that fought wildfires for more than 50 years.
Only seven of the Martin Mars aircraft were ever made by the Glenn L. Martin Company, all for the U.S. navy as ocean patrol and long-range transport during the Second World War.
Last year, Hawaii Mars was retired to the B.C. Aviation Museum in North Saanich with much fanfare, with tens of thousands watching it fly over several Vancouver Island communities with a Snowbirds escort until it touched down at Patricia Bay near Victoria International Airport.
— With a file from Cindy E. Harnett
