Martin JRM-2 Mars

Shown here is the Martin JRM-2 "Caroline Mars" (BuNo. 76824) of U.S. Navy transport squadron VR-2 in flight. The aircraft set two records in 1948. On 28 August 1948 it landed at Chicago, Illionis (USA), with 42 persons on board and a 6,350 kg (14,000 lb) payload, after a record nonstop flight from Honolulu (Hawaii, USA) of 7,641 km (4,748 mi) in 24 hours, 12 minutes. On 5 September 1948 it carried a cargo of 30,972 kg (68,282 lb) over 628 km (390 mi) from Patuxent River, Maryland (USA), to Cleveland, Ohio (USA), the heaviest payload ever lifted in an aircraft up to that date. In 1956 it was stored at NAS Alameda, California. It was converted to civilian airtanker configuration in 1961. The aircraft was parked on its beaching gear at Victoria International Airport, Sidney, British Columbia (Kanada), for maintenance with Fairey Aviation of Canada, when its tie-down lines snapped during typhoon "Frieda" on 12 Oct 1962. The beaching gear collapsed, and the aircraft was blown across the tarmac for some distance until it ran into a highway shoulder. It was considered damaged beyond repair and was broken up for spares. USN