James C. Mars

James Cairn Mars
Born March 8, 1875
Died July 25, 1944
Los Angeles, California
Nationality American
Occupation Aviator, circus performer, airport operator, real estate
Known for Barnstormer, first pilot to fly an aircraft in Arkansas and in the Far East

James Cairn Mars (March 8, 1875 — July 25, 1944), also known Bud Mars and the Curtiss Daredevil, was an aviation pioneer. He was the eleventh pilot licensed in the United States. As a balloonist, he was a student of Thomas Scott Baldwin, and as an airplane pilot, of Glenn Curtiss.

Biography

He was born on March 8, 1875 in Grand Haven, Michigan.

He was credited in 1911 with being the first pilot to bring aviation to the Far East,[1] although flights had been made in both Japan and Vietnam in late 1910. Mars was the first to fly in both the Philippines and Korea, however.

He died on July 25, 1944 in Los Angeles.

References