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Domain: martinmars.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to martinmars.com.

Comments · 8

  1. Re:Perfect? by rpstrong · · Score: 1 · on A DC-10 Passenger Plane Is Perfect At Fighting Wildfires

    The Martin Mars can drop 600 gallons compared to the 12,000 gallons of the DC-10.

    No, it carries 600 gallons of foam concentrate alone - it scoops up 7,200 gallons of water each time, and can make a pass every fifteen minutes. I think this throws your comparison off by a wee bit . . .

  2. Re:strongly doubting it by rpstrong · · Score: 1 · on A DC-10 Passenger Plane Is Perfect At Fighting Wildfires

    The Martin Mars (as mentioned elsewhere) has the option of mixing retardant en route - up to 600 gallons of concentrate, enough for up to 21 drops. IIRC, other aerial tankers can do so as well.

  3. Perfect? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 1 · on A DC-10 Passenger Plane Is Perfect At Fighting Wildfires

    A DC-10 Passenger Plane Is Perfect At Fighting Wildfires

    It's not 'perfect.' Unlike water bombers like the Martin Mars ( http://www.martinmars.com/ ) the DC-10 can't 'scoop' water from a lake. It needs to land and be refilled, which limits the amount it can drop.

  4. Not so big by jamesl · · Score: 3, Insightful · on World's Largest Amphibious Aircraft Goes Into Production In China

    The Martin JRM Mars has more impressive specs ...

    General characteristics
    o Crew: four (with accommodations for a second relief crew)
    o Capacity: 133 troops, or 84 litter patients and 25 attendants
    o Payload: 32,000 lb (15,000 kg) of cargo, including up to seven jeeps
    o Length: 117 ft 3 in (35.74 m)
    o Wingspan: 200 ft 0 in (60.96 m)
    o Height: 38 ft 5 in (11.71 m)
    o Wing area: 3,686 ft (342.4 mÂ)
    o Empty weight: 75,573 lb (34,279 kg)
    o Loaded weight: 90,000 lb (40,820 kg)
    o Max. takeoff weight: 165,000 lb (74,800 kg)
    o Powerplant: 4 x Wright R-3350-24WA Duplex Cyclone 18-cylinder radial engines, 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) each

    Performance
    o Maximum speed: 192 knots (221 mph, 356 km/h)
    o Cruise speed: 165 knots (190 mph, 305 km/h)
    o Range: 4,300 nautical miles (5,000 mi, 8,000 km)
    o Service ceiling: 14,600 ft (4,450 m)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

    Still at work.
    http://www.martinmars.com/airc...

  5. Re:Commercial Uses Galore by WindBourne · · Score: 1 · on Old Airlift Vehicle Concept Made New
    Keep in mind that something that big would carry more than 16 x the world largest waterbombers. That means it probably carries more than 30x of the average waterbombers. So one of these things can carry the equivelant of 30 water bombing trips. In addition, it can work the edges of the fire and soak the trees to prevent a jump. IOW, you do not run it directly over the fire.

    Now, as to the loading, this would be the fastest loading of all. You simply
    1. fly in over a lake
    2. open the doors
    3. lower the craft into the water such that the underslung tank is totally submermissed
    4. close the doors
    5. then lift.
      This is MUCH faster than the normal situation where they have to fly to some strip 40-100 miles away, and then have a pump in the lake fill the aircraft. a load may take 5-10 minutes. add the time of the fly-in, the landing, the loading, the takeoff, and THEN multiply that by 30. Even flying fast will not make up for all the wasted time. Roughly, it is like comparing a semi-truck vs. a ferarri for moving a family.

      And yeah, I would guess that there is probably a lake within 20 miles of any forest fire. Even with this thing moving at 40 miles an hour, it is way more efficient.
  6. But can it drop 7,200 gallons every 15 minutes ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on Using a 747 to Fight Wildfires

    I don't think it can do an inflight replenishment like the worldest largest active flying boats...
    www.martinmars.com/mars.html

  7. Re:Wow, there's a lot of misinformation out there. by FFFish · · Score: 1 · on Using a 747 to Fight Wildfires

    Martin Mars is the world's current best, AFAIK. May not have the single-drop capacity of the 747 design, but can refill every 15 minutes by scooping water from a lake while in flight. That equates to a helluva lot more overall capacity.

  8. I've had these things fly over my house by Wacky_Wookie · · Score: 4, Informative · on Using a 747 to Fight Wildfires
    I used to live on Vancouver Island, Canada. We get one or two big fires every year and these planes are called in when things get hairy.

    During a fire a few years back, the pilots were using are road as ref. point for heading back to the fire after scooping up a new load of water. These things were passing over our house not more then 100 ft from the top of our roof. With a full load of water then engines make one hell of a noise.

    Vancouver Island is home to two other interesting fire fighting planes: The Mars Water Bombers.

    The Mars planes fight fires in the US all the time since they are privetly owned.