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By: - 14th August 2003 at 21:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I think that title goes to the Canadair CL-415. I don't know of any other aircraft designed from the wheels up for fire fighting.
By: - 14th August 2003 at 21:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Beriev makes quite a bit of amphibious planes that tend to be used for fire fighting.. I think Yugoslavia had one..the name escapes me at the moment. And then there's the Mermaid variant.
By: - 14th August 2003 at 21:32 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I think this belongs in the General Aviation Forum but my vote would go to the Russian Be-200P.
By: - 14th August 2003 at 22:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'd vote for the CL-415, but I think the Be-200/A-40 series of airplanes has great potential, as they are larger and faster than the CL-415, and those are two very good traits when you are dealing with a fires (i.e. getting more water to the fire in a much shorter time period).
By: - 14th August 2003 at 22:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Why settle for anything less than the Martin Mars? Even though the Il-76P carries even more water/fire retardant, it won't refill as easily as the two Marses.
By: - 14th August 2003 at 23:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Originally posted by PhantomII
I'd vote for the CL-415, but I think the Be-200/A-40 series of airplanes has great potential, as they are larger and faster than the CL-415, and those are two very good traits when you are dealing with a fires (i.e. getting more water to the fire in a much shorter time period).
My photos of the Be-200 are at :- http://mysite.freeserve.com/aircraft_pages/other_aircraft_portal.htm
Just click on the appropriate picture.
Ken Duffey
By: - 15th August 2003 at 09:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This is IT:
The CL-415.Not as large as the Be-200 or the..... Mars, but the best overall firefighter!
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/322920/L/
Regards
By: - 17th August 2003 at 22:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
CL-415, Beriev or Mars are only usefull IF THERE IS A LAKE NEARBY (or a tranquil bay, for that purpose). Which is not the case if you're fighting fires in California, Montana, or wide aereas in Idaho, Wyoming, etc (just to take US geographycal examples).
If you're stuck to regular landing runways, your choice is a big four enginer, lets say L-188, P-3 or C-130.
If there is no runway nearby, your best choice is an Antonov An-2 Colt with a platoon of russian firejumpers. They will chopp, hack and showel the fire dead, it may take a few days, but they get trough with their minimalist approach.
King Jester
By: - 18th August 2003 at 13:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Il-76 for sheer brute force. Once the firefighting An-225 is completed, no fire will be safe from the might of ... never mind.
Posts: 146
By: SerbPVO - 14th August 2003 at 20:46
Considering all these fires around the world(Portugal, France, Montenegro, Croatia, etc, etc, etc)...I think this thread has to be made.
So what is the best fire-fighting machine today?