| Firebombers fighting forest fires have fascinated me | | | | water) is released into the 7200 US gallon water |
| since I was stationed on an airbase where a flight of | | | | tank. When dropped, it will cover at least a four acre |
| converted A25 WWll Mitchell bombers were also | | | | area of the fire. In an operation where the supply |
| based during the fire seasons. The Mitchell | | | | lake and the fire were in close proximity, a single |
| Firebombers had everything removed from the bomb | | | | Martin Mars Firebomber established a record by |
| bays, including the bay doors, and then a tank was | | | | dropping a million litres (265,000 US Gallons) in 37 |
| installed that filled the entire area. These Firebombers | | | | consecutive drops over a flying time of 5.9 hours. |
| could not scoop up water on a low-level flypast over | | | | The "scooping" process itself demands a tightly |
| a lake, but had to land and have their tanks | | | | choreographed operation between the pilot, co-pilot |
| replenished with a pre-mixed fire retardant that not | | | | and the flight engineer sitting at his panel behind the |
| only put out fires but also stained anybody and | | | | co-pilot. The pilot enters into a landing procedure |
| anything that came in contact with it a dark rusty | | | | dropping the flight speed to 70 mph as he |
| red. Through attrition due to crashes mostly in far | | | | maneuvers the aircraft over the water. The flight |
| flung countries such as New Guinea and Paraguay, | | | | engineer then takes control of the engines, |
| and a scarcity of parts, the A25 Mitchell Firebombers | | | | maintaining a steady 70 mph while the pilot maintains |
| were finally retired in the mid '80s. | | | | the aircraft "on the step" while the co-pilot lowers |
| During those days in the late fifties into the mid | | | | the scoop to the water. Because of the ram |
| seventies, the A25s were always busy, fighting fires | | | | pressure, the water is taken in at a rate of a ton per |
| throughout western Canada and down into the | | | | second with the operation completed in 25 seconds. |
| western states, all the way to California. In those | | | | Keep in mind this is being done in a seventy ton |
| days, there was an understanding between the | | | | aircraft - dry weight! |
| western states and provinces that Firebombers were | | | | Recently the province of Saskatchewan bought |
| a commodity to be shared in time of need. I can | | | | some new firebombers, accepting delivery of the |
| remember a time when all Alberta's Firebombers | | | | first Canadair CL-415 firebombers. These twin-engined |
| were in Northern California, when a big forest fire | | | | turboprop aircraft came at a hefty 18 Million Dollars |
| broke out in Nothern Alberta; the first Firebombers | | | | US. Although they have been specially designed and |
| on the scene were from Oregon. | | | | developed for the firefighting industry, they are not, |
| On the West Coast of British Columbia, the fire | | | | however, fitted with scoops. |
| fighting service had three WWll amphibious Martin | | | | In recent years, due to the ever increasing lift |
| Mars. These were 140,000lb behemoths powered by | | | | capacity of helicopters, these rotary wing craft have |
| four piston driven engines with a wing span of 200 | | | | taken over firebombing duties with large water |
| feet. They were the largest flying boats ever flown | | | | buckets slung underneath. Nowadays, it is usually a |
| operationally and are still operated as Firebombers by | | | | combination of fixed and rotary wing craft that fight |
| Flying Tankers Inc. | | | | forest fires together with smokejumpers fires. |
| These days the Mars carry a 600 US gallon tank of | | | | Firebombers, in whatever style or fashion of aircraft, |
| foam concentrate that has greatly enhanced its | | | | are sure to continue operating on the front line of |
| efficacy as a Firebomber. The Mars is fitted with a | | | | forest fire defence for at least the foreseeable |
| scoop used by the pilot to load up with water while | | | | future. And they are sure to continue to fascinate |
| flying over a lake, then en route to the fire, some | | | | onlookers as they do their aerial water-scooping |
| foam concentrate (one part concentrate to 20 parts | | | | ballets over lakes. |