W.W. Gibson | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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W.W. Gibson

William Wallace Gibson, aircraft inventor (b at Dalmellington, Scot 1876; d at San Francisco, Calif Dec 1965). After making a fortune in mining, Gibson built the first successful Canadian aircraft engine, and then the Twin-Plane
Gibson, William (Inventor)
William Gibson built the first successful Canadian aircraft engine (artwork by Irma Coucill).

Gibson, William Wallace

 William Wallace Gibson, aircraft inventor (b at Dalmellington, Scot 1876; d at San Francisco, Calif Dec 1965). After making a fortune in mining, Gibson built the first successful Canadian aircraft engine, and then the Twin-Plane aircraft, which first flew Sept 1910 near Victoria, BC, with a 60-horse power gasoline engine. A second aircraft, the Multi-Plane (with 4 narrow sprucewood wings), is reported to have flown successfully the following year near Calgary before being wrecked in a crash. Broke, Gibson returned to mining and later moved to San Francisco.