Philippine Mars lands at Lake Pleasant before it heads to Pima Air and Space Museum
The Brief
The Philippine Mars, also known as the Martin Mars, is the last flying boat from World War II.
It landed at Lake Pleasant in Arizona on Feb. 10 and underwent weeks of dismantling.
The flying boat, piece by piece, will be taken to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson where it'll be showcased.
LAKE PLEASANT, Ariz. - A historic gem from World War II landed on Lake Pleasant on Feb. 10 and is being officially retired and showcased in an Arizona space museum.
What we know
The dismantling process took weeks as crews worked to transport the flying boat, piece by piece, to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson.
It flew 1,500 miles from Vancouver Island, Canada to Lake Pleasant.
The plane, the Philippine Mars, was the last flying boat from World War II. It's also known as the Martin Mars.
"This is a unique moment in history. You'll see 737, 767, 777, that are very large, but nothing like this capability," said Ramon Purcell of Boneyard Safari.
Preserving warplanes is what Purcell and the Boneyard Safari team do, but this one is different. Purcell says there's nothing like it.
The water bomber is not a boat and not a plane, but both. Sea-proof and sky-proof.
"This is so different because it's designed to spend its life in its primary spot, which is the water," Purcell said.
The backstory
From tail to nose, built during World War II, it's the largest flying boat ever made. The double-decker craft has a hull like a ship, an anchor, latches, windows and doors.
Beneath the wings is a water tanker capable of holding 6,000 gallons of water. Right below is the cockpit and a lockout hatch.
"That's not just a plane window. That's a porthole. There are hatches. Each door is a hatch, and it's a watertight hatch," Purcell explained.
The plane transported cargo and wounded troops during the war and was later used by Canada to fight fires.
As you make your way upstairs, it transforms into an aircraft, with the same engineer flight deck from the 40s.
"There are lots of nooks, there's little places. You start wondering what was it like, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 years ago, to be flying in this aircraft," Purcell said.
The notes, nobs, headphones, and fuel abilities are just as they were decades ago. The plane is disassembled bolt by bolt and moved piece by piece down to Tuscon.
The final flight will be forever memorialized.
"Not only are you getting a time capsule from the 40s, but you're getting it from 2025, when it saw its last flight," Purcell said.
Its wings span 200 feet, the flying boat can only land on water, which is why it landed at Lake Pleasant, and not at an airport.
You can learn more about the plane and the Pima Air and Space Museum by clicking here.
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