W5 Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 The USAF originally had different intentions for these aircraft. The story is pretty sordid and a lot longer than this article implies. https://aerialfiremag.com/2023/10/13/california-still-waits-for-5-new-firefighting-aircraft-5-years-on/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted Sunday at 02:46 PM Share Posted Sunday at 02:46 PM There is still the second Mars at Sproat lake that is going to the Pima Air and Space museum in Tucson. How they will do that will be a must watch documentary! I've spent a lot of time in southern Arizona and there is no body of water large enough for it to land on and they've been pretty quiet about how they'll do it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted Sunday at 05:06 PM Share Posted Sunday at 05:06 PM 2 hours ago, Maverick said: There is still the second Mars at Sproat lake that is going to the Pima Air and Space museum in Tucson. How they will do that will be a must watch documentary! I've spent a lot of time in southern Arizona and there is no body of water large enough for it to land on and they've been pretty quiet about how they'll do it... What about Roosevelt Lake ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted Sunday at 05:36 PM Share Posted Sunday at 05:36 PM 29 minutes ago, Kip Powick said: What about Roosevelt Lake ???? According to the following, the aircraft will fly to roosevelt lake and then Quote One of the enduring mysteries of the summer aviation news cycle was just how the world's largest flying boat was going to get to one of the country's most land-locked museums, but that may have been solved. The folks who keep the A-26K "Special Kay" flying posted on Facebook Sunday that the massive Philippine Mars, which has no landing gear, will be flown from its current base on Sproat Lake on Canada's Vancouver Island to Lake Roosevelt, Arizona's largest body of water. It will then be dismantled and trucked 150 miles to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson where it will join about 400 other historically significant aircraft. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/philippine-mars-moving-plan/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted Monday at 05:13 PM Share Posted Monday at 05:13 PM EU firefighting planes to help tackle Portugal wildfires 47 minutes ago Share Jack Burgess BBC News Reuters A firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire in Penalva do Castelo, Portugal The EU will send eight firefighting planes to Portugal to help the country tackle blazes in its north that have injured 12 firefighters, two seriously. Several fires broke out in the Aveiro region over the weekend, which have forced about 70 residents to flee, the civil protection authority has said. Police have shut motorways, including the main road between the capital, Lisbon, and Porto. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was "urgently mobilising" the planes and thanked four states - France, Greece, Italy and Spain - for sending the aid. She urged other member states to send further assistance in a post to X. Around 1,500 firefighters were battling blazes across the country on Monday, Portuguese officials said. The country already owns 30 water bombers, but authorities said the complex situation required additional support. France has agreed to deploy two water bombers, the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has said. Officials in Lisbon expect two more to arrive on Monday from Spain. "This is EU solidarity at its best," Ms von der Leyen said, hailing the four states for showing such rapid support. So far 18 people have been injured by the blazes, including several who have received treatment. One firefighter has died due to "sudden illness", according to Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias. Temperatures in Portugal exceeded 30C (86F) over the weekend and are expected to remain high for days. "The situation is not out of control, but it is very complex. Today will be a difficult day, and so will tomorrow," national civil protection commander Andre Fernandes said. He plans to keep for now the red alert for hot weather currently in place across mainland Portugal. EPA Wildfires have affected Portugal for several days The Mayor of Albergaria-a-Velha, António Loureiro, said four houses have been burned down and 20 more are threatened around the town as the fires rage. Two other homes have been destroyed at Cabeceiras de Basto, in the area of Braga, AFP has reported local authorities as saying. The police say traffic has been stopped on three motorways in the region. Portugal and neighbouring Spain have recorded fewer wildfires this year, largely due to a wet and rainy start to the year. But they remain vulnerable to blazes due to hot and dry conditions. Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted Monday at 05:17 PM Share Posted Monday at 05:17 PM CCC, Portuguese Air Force sign contract for Canadian waterbombers July 18, 2024 08:44 ET| Source: Canadian Commercial CorporationFollow OTTAWA, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CCC is proud to announce the signing of a government to government (G2G) contract with Portugal’s Air Force for the sale of two (2) DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC). Through CCC’s G2G contract, DHC will provide the DHC-515 aircraft to Portugal, along with spare parts, training, and maintenance support. The G2G contract is the result of ongoing cooperation between CCC, DHC, the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU) and its Member States to supply the EU with Canadian-made waterbombers. Portugal joins Greece and Croatia in the acquisition of aircraft supported by rescEU, bringing a total of eleven (11) DHC-515 aircraft contracted through CCC. Portugal has experienced in recent years more frequent and intense wildfires, largely due to rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing precipitation patterns. These fires have led to widespread destruction of property and loss of life. The Portuguese air force will use its new waterbombers to continue protecting the country’s citizens and rich biodiversity from the devastating impacts of wildfires. Building on the iconic legacy of Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft, the DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ is a new purpose-built aerial firefighting aircraft. The DHC-515 aircraft delivers the highest quantity of water into the fire-zone per day (nearly 700,000 L), more than twice as much as its nearest competitor. It can refill its tanks in 12 seconds, from nearby fresh or saltwater sources including rivers, small lakes, and oceans, while land-based aircraft must return to airport after each drop. The next generation waterbomber matches the other aircraft in the De Havilland fleet in terms of lifespan, ruggedness, and Canadian aerospace engineering quality. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted Tuesday at 06:44 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 06:44 PM On 9/15/2024 at 10:06 AM, Kip Powick said: What about Roosevelt Lake ???? I had not heard that, it'll be a great trip for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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