"Ed Wischmeyer" wrote in message
...
Kelowna residents had quite an demonstration of fire bomber pilot
skills.
Here are some good pics. of the Mars Martin and Canadair bombers at
work
on
the pick-up end.

I'll try again. Go to "castanet.net", Photo gallery and newest
pictures.

http://www.castanet.net/firepics/New...res/index.html

Some of these are pretty interesting!

Ed Wischmeyer

A friend of mine was instrumental in lobbying the NC legislature to get a
CL-215 water bomber, and had a video tape of them doing practice pickups and
drops. Very impressive. They can pick up 1200 gallons of water in
something like 8 seconds. The scoop is only something like 4" x 8". They
pick up at 100 knots.

The pictures on the site are of (I think the number is) 415's, which are
215's with turboprops, bigger water tanks, and a bit of tail feather added,
plus a few other changes.

The amazing thing is that those planes, as big as they are, are pure cable
controlled, (Boost Tabs) except for flaps. The fly like fighters, banking in
and out of water pickup sites.
--
Jim in NC