On April 13, 2007, FIFT announced plans to sell Philippine Mars and Hawaii Mars to Coulson Aircane Ltd., another British Co­lumbia–based company, for an undisclosed amount. Its Coulson Fly­ing Tankers subsidiary now operates the two mammoth flying boats as firefighters, just as they have been used for the past 47 years. That announcement ended an almost six-month “Save the Mars” fundraising effort by the Glenn L. Martin Museum in Baltimore, Md., to purchase one of the planes. The giant flying boats were closely associated with Baltimore, where they were built and where reminders include the Mars supermarket chain and Mars Estates Elementary School.

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According to Coulson’s Web site (martinmars.com), “The Mars are spreading their 200 ft. wingspan to provide firefighting protection on a call out service or contract basis to any company or agency requiring the unique initial attack and sustained action qualities of the Mars.” One can only hope that at some point in the future, once they have fought their last fire, at least one of these magnificent aircraft will be preserved for posterity.

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