Final WWII Flying Boat Completes its Haul Across Arizona

The final World War II flying boat has completed its tedious trek across Arizona, arriving in Tucson in preparation for its permanent home in the Pima Air and Space Museum. This aircraft, dubbed the Philippine Mars, was dismantled for transport after its last flight in February.

The Martin JRM Mars is a four-engine flying boat designed for the United States Navy during World War II. Seven were built in total, but only two remain today: the Hawaii Mars and the Philippine Mars.

The Hawaii Mars remained operational until 2016, taking its final flight on August 11, 2024, before being put on display at the British Columbia Aviation Museum. Around the same time, it was revealed that Philippine Mars would become the centerpiece of the Pima Air and Space Museum (PASM) in Tucson, Arizona.

The Philippine Mars attempted its final journey in early January 2025, but was forced to turn back after experiencing an engine failure. On February 10, after a series of repairs and test flights, the Philippine Mars departed from San Francisco and headed south on the California coast. It turned inland near Monterey Bay and made its final landing in Arizona’s Lake Pleasant.

From there, the legendary bird spent weeks being dismantled for transport to Tucson. Boneyard Safari, which specializes in transporting historic aircraft, hauled the Philippine Mars through Casa Grande, Maricopa, and the West Valley. The truck arrived at Ryan Field, just 20 miles out of PASM, on May 15.

“It’s incredibly exhilarating and challenging at the same time, and for us, it’s an honor to be a part, a really small part, of an amazing piece of history,” explained Ramon Purcell of Boneyard Safari.

The PASM team will soon begin to reassemble the aircraft for display. The process will begin outside with the wings, tail, and beaching gear as the museum works to raise money for a new building. 

“It’s 200 feet wide on the wingspan, so they actually have to build or pour the foundation before they build the building, put it on top of the foundation, and then build the building around the plane,” Purcell stated.

FMI: www.boneyardsafari.com, https://pimaair.org