The final Martin Mars waterbomber has left Sproat Lake.

The Philippine Mars took off Sunday morning, Dec. 15, 2024, finding an opening in the clouds to take off. It didn't get far, however: the plane landed at Pat Bay in Victoria after experiencing engine trouble. Eyewitnesses said one of the engines did not appear to be working.

Mid-morning Sunday the plane taxied up to Taylor Arm, "doing doughnuts" in front of the Coulson family home on its way while straightening up what some said was a radio issue. Retired Mars pilot John de Bourcier came out to watch the flight, and heard it power up in the distance. "It's on the step," he said, referring to the maneuvre a seaplane takes just before it takes off.

The plane did, in fact, take off briefly before landing again, and taxiing back toward Sproat Lake. Then it swung around and returned to Taylor Arm. The next time it powered up, de Bourcier confirmed the plane was actually flying.

The roar of the Philippine Mars' four radial engines could be heard by those on the ground at the bomber base, but low clouds and fog obscured its passing save for a few seconds. As the engine noise faded away, it began to rain gently at the lake.

"It's the end of an era," said de Bourcier, who flew both the Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars from 1977 to 2016. "It was a rush."

This was the second attempt flight crew pilots Pete Killin and Todd Davis, and flight engineer Dave Millman, made to fly the Philippine Mars to its final destination in Arizona. 

As one of only two remaining Martin JRM Mars flying boats, the Philippine Mars is making its final journey to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, where it will be preserved for future generations.
The Philippine Mars conducted a symbolic flyby alongside its sister aircraft, the Hawaii Mars, which was recently donated to the B.C. Aviation Museum in Sidney, B.C.

鈥淗aving both of the Martin Mars historically preserved in these museums is our way of honouring the role these aircraft have played in both aviation and firefighting history,鈥� said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Group.

The aircraft鈥檚 route includes a stop in San Francisco, Calif., for customs clearance and to comply with the requirement to stop before sunset. The Martin JRM Mars aircraft, once based in nearby Alameda, Calif., will anchor for two days in the Alameda Lagoon, where it was originally operated by the U.S. Navy. From there, it will fly along the coast to San Diego, participating in scheduled events and video documentation. Its planned water landing will occur near the Coronado Bridge, with a touchdown close to the USS Midway Museum, where it will anchor in San Diego Bay overnight. The aircraft鈥檚 journey will conclude in Arizona, where it will be disassembled at its factory production joints and transported to the Pima Air and Space Museum.

There is widespread interest in the Philippine Mars' final flight.

An estimated 6,000 people trying to log into Skytrac's website Sunday morning crashed the system, a Coulson spokesperson said. The aircraft could be seen on flight following apps when it briefly crossed into American airspace near Friday Harbour, then disappeared again when it returned to Canadian airspace.

The plane could be seen flying around Pat Bay for a few circuits before it landed. This time there was an "issue" with the No. 4 engine, which is not the same engine that has been giving them problems for the past few weeks. When taxiing first began on the lake, a crack in the No. 2 engine was discovered, and an engine from the Hawaii Mars at the B.C. Aviation Museum was trucked up to the bomber base and swapped out.

The No. 2 engine showed an oil pressure issue when the plane took off on Wednesday, only to turn back an hour later.

No reason for Sunday's engine problems was released. A new timeline for the Philippine Mars' departure from Pat Bay has also not been shared.