No, In fact I've never ever flown a prop machine, even in basic flight training. In the late 60's for a couple of years the RCAF started us out directly on the CT114 Tutor Jet (of Snowbirds fame); however, attrition was so high that they switched the program to small prop jobs to give new pilots a fighting chance. Looking back, I don't know how I made it, ha!
As for the Martin Mars, it was recently featured on Discovery Channel's 'Mighty Planes' series where they followed it from Vancouver Island on a deployment to a reservoir in Texas to fight forest/brush fires just over the border in Mexico. It has been outfitted with modern electronics & it looks really nice inside & out.
Mighty Planes is an interesting series if you like flying machines...
TAM
