Thousands of people gathered on the shoreline of North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Patricia Bay for the Hawaii Martin MarsB次元官网网址� last landing on the night of Aug. 11.
Among them were Martin and Kristine Van Zyl, along with their young son Sebastian. The event held strong symbolic significance for the couple hailing from Port Alberni, the longtime home of the red-and-white aircraft.
B次元官网网址淚 actually grew up on Sproat Lake and so that was the view outside of my house, the water bomber, every morning. This was kind of full circle for me seeing it come to land for the last time,B次元官网网址� said Martin.
B次元官网网址淥ur parents were on Sproat Lake watching it take off earlier today and now we got to see it land,B次元官网网址� added Kristine. B次元官网网址淚t was such a great end cap to such a beautiful part of history that we grew up with. It's just a landmark for our town.B次元官网网址�
Equally symbolic for Rick Smerch, a former airplane mechanic at Coulson Aviation, seeing it fly one last time was an event he couldnB次元官网网址檛 miss.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 history,B次元官网网址� said Smerch. B次元官网网址淚t's the biggest water bomber in the world. I havenB次元官网网址檛 worked on that one, but I've seen it sitting in the yard for years, so to see it fly is pretty awesome.B次元官网网址�
For tourists Marti Grudes and Fred Craft, visiting from Eugene, Ore., this event was an unexpected delight.
B次元官网网址淚t was fantastic,B次元官网网址� said Crafts. B次元官网网址淲e didn't know what to expect and to see this enormous plane fly over with all the jets was just spectacular. Not only was this a historic moment but it seems like this was a community moment. All these people showed up and were cheering for this antique airplane. It was a spectacular moment.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e were fortunate to have a gentleman sit down next to us who has worked with that specific plane,B次元官网网址� added Gurdes. B次元官网网址淗e knows the Mars, he has walked on its wings because he was a forester. We had an hour and a half of listening to him, tell us about working with the plane. We feel like we've had an enormous history (lesson about) this aircraft.B次元官网网址�
History enthusiast Graham Johnson left his hometown of Ladner specifically to attend the event.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 such a historic moment,B次元官网网址� said Johnson. B次元官网网址淚t was too bad that they couldn't make it run longer, but this was a fitting goodbye at least. I didn't realize there would be so many people here, but it's the kind of human event that everybody comes together to witness.B次元官网网址�
For more information about the Hawaii Martin Mars, visit the British Columbia Aviation Museum website at .
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