By David Wiwchar

Philippine Mars leaves tomorrow

Dec 10, 2024 | 11:01 AM

People in Port Alberni will only have two more days to see the famed Philippine Mars flying around the Valley.

Crews did a few loops around the Alberni Valley yesterday and will do it again today before the last airworthy Martin Mars Waterbomber leaves the island for the last time tomorrow, according to owner Wayne Coulson.

“We did multiple loops around the city yesterday and I think we’ll be up again today and then we’re looking to depart tomorrow for San Francisco,” he said. “It’s going to be weather dependent, but it’ll just be a jump over to the east coast and down the coast and on through Seattle, down Oregon, and we’re planning on stopping in Frisco and San Diego, which is where it operated from in the 1940s so everybody gets to say goodbye to it.”

Painted its original Navy Blue, the 79 year old plane hasn’t flown in 17 years, and crews have been working on getting it airworthy for the past month.

Coulson said the world’s largest flying boat will fly to an undisclosed lake in Arizona on the weekend, where it will be dismantled and moved to the Pima Air and Space Museum.

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(Photo courtesy Peter Killin, CFLYK & CFLYL pilot)