BRITISH AEROSPACE 146, or technically these days BAe Systems AVRO RJ series, and with just under 400 built arguably Britain”s most successful airliner of all time, could be making a comeback as a water bomber fire fighting aircraft. Test flights in the US have come in for unstinting praise the aircraft”s 3,000 US gallon water capacity, slow approach speed and ability to fly as low as 200 feet ideal for fighting forest and bush fires. Production of the RJ stopped in 2002 but the plane remains a firm favourite with operating airlines, only about 10% of the fleet laid up and the Lufthansa Group and associates operating around 70 aircraft.
http://www.baesystems.com/facts/operational/regional/regional.htm