Hawaii Martin Mars, a historic B.C. water bomber, completes its final flight

Thousands gathered at Patricia Bay Park on Vancouver Island north of Victoria on Sunday to witness the final landing of the historic Hawaii Martin Mars, a legendary aircraft that fought wildfires in B.C. for more than 50 years.

The massive aircraft, with a capacity to carry more than 27,000 litres of water, departed from its longtime base at Sproat Lake in Port Alberni and landed in Saanich Inlet, before heading to its new home at the B.C. Aviation Museum.

Nine Canadian Forces Snowbirds jets also accompanied the water bomber in its last journey, passing over a number of communities en route to its final destination. 

The Snowbirds bid farewell to the well known aircraft with a non-aerobatic display, drawing cheers from onlookers below.

"It's kind of sad that it's the end of the story," said Peter Killin, a longtime pilot who flew the Hawaii Martin Mars' for the last time, along with Harbour Air's Rick Matthews on Sunday. 

Killin, who has logged more than 1,000 hours of flying time with the water bomber, said he was introduced to the aircraft back in 2000 by Matthews and was then hired a year later to pilot the Mars and help fight forest fires. 

"It's a new chapter coming [for the aircraft]...it's going to be good, people will get to see it." he added.

Earlier this year, Coulson Aviation, the company that purchased the Hawaii Martin Mars in 2007, announced it is donating the aircraft to the B.C. Aviation Museum, calling it a "grand ending to a great history."

"It's bittersweet to say goodbye," Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Aviation told CBC News.

The water bomber will become the centrepiece of a new wildfire exhibition at the B.C. Aviation Museum, in North Saanich, starting September 28. 

Steve Nichol, president of the museum, said it will be "the jewel in the crown" of the museum's firefighting display.

"This is a once in a lifetime event," he said. "We're going to have it open every day for the public, just to see what it was like to be inside the Martian Mars. I think people will be fascinated by it."

The province says it has provided $250,000 to protect and preserve the aircraft as part of the exhibition. 

Richard Mosdell, the 'Save the Mars' project lead for the museum, said he still remembers the deep rumble of the aircraft echoing through the valleys as it soared overhead, battling forest fires.