William Wallace
Gibson’s "Multiplane" was an experimental design that did
not look like any other aircraft at the time. It was made of an
array of long, narrow wings placed parallel to each other.
When Gibson was creating his aircraft in 1911, there were no
appropriate engines available, so he used his skill to produce
his own. He built a unique engine that had six cylinders and
three carburetors that worked very well.
The experiments that followed demonstrated that the aircraft
could fly.
Unfortunately, a rough landing on its last flight collapsed
the array of narrow wings, and Gibson could not find the funds
to rebuild it.
Gibson’s airplane engine is a lasting contribution to the
industry, and is displayed in the National Aviation Museum of
Canada as the first successful aviation engine built in Canada.
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