FLYING WATER BOMBER

Fire in and around our area as well as throughout California continue to rage out of control.

Smoke is everywhere and into everything. Fireworks were cancelled yesterday all due to dry conditions and consideration for fires already burning: Why create a situation for more fires when the fires that are burning can't be put out?

This monster of an aircraft came on the Cow Town Valley scene this week. It's based in Canada. Built in the 1940's there are but two left flying - this one and another based in Hawaii and owned by the same company.

All other aircraft have to land to replenish their load of water that is dropped on fires. Without stopping this puppy dips into a lake. As it scoots along 3 miles of lake surface at 80 miles an hour its tanks are filled with 7,200 gallons of water. It can load and unload 20 loads of water in a day. No time is lost by landing and waiting to fill its water tanks with pressurized hoses.

Awesome.