Canadair Planes

Saturday, 15th October 2005 by

These yellow planes parked in France are aerial water bombers, used to fight forest fires. They are commonly known as "Canadair" planes, after the company who manufactured them (although Canadair has been bought out by Bombardier Aerospace).

The planes skim along a lake or reservoir as shallow as two metres to collect over 5,000 litres in just 12 seconds. They then drop the water over the forest fire either all in one or as a sustained shower. Here's a photo of one such plane in action.

Thanks: Jerome