GIBSON biplane No.l (Caledonian Motor & Cycle Works, Leith, near Edinburgh, Scotland. J. and G.T. Gibson, proprietors)

   This pusher biplane was designed and built during 1909 by the Gibsons, father and son, at their Caledonian Motor and Cycle Works. It had the typical layout of a machine of the period, with front and rear monoplane elevators and a fixed tailplane and single divided rudder. These units were apparently supported by lower booms only but were presumably braced also by wires. The chassis consisted of short curved skids carrying two pairs of sprung wheels on separate axles.
   The wings were of equal span, and single acting ailerons were fitted to both top and bottom. The pilot sat on the lower center section, with the engine, fuel tank and radiators on either side. The machine was not capable of flight.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 30ft


GIBSON biplane No.2

   The second machine was a reconstruction of the first and was completed in the following year, and flown in August 1910 at Beautland Farm near Balerno.
   The modifications included changing the front monoplane elevator to a biplane unit with twin rudders. The attitude of the machine on the ground was altered by lowering the tail, and rigging the machine with slight stagger. The front and rear booms were full depth strut braced units with additional support at the front, provided by the extended, curved Sommer-type skids, which met at the front elevator attachments.
   The Gibsons built a further nine biplanes, one of which was shown at the Scottish International Exhibition in 1911. During 1913-1914, they were building a machine of 40ft span and had started to design and build an engine. This work was discontinued when war broke out. Of the eleven machines, four were destroyed during testing, one was burned at an exhibition in Brussels, the rest were sold. No detailed information on the design of these has been found.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 29ft
   Length 30ft


GIBSON biplane No.3

   A letter from John Gibson published in Flight on 19 February 1910 illustrates the third biplane which they had made and sold. This was a Farman type machine with twin pushed propellers driven by a single engine of unknown make. There were twin fins and rudders and ailerons set at mid gap. There was a conventional undercarriage with two main wheels and a tail wheel. No further details have been found.
   Gibson mentions that they were making a fourth machine of 29ft span and that a fifth was being made for display at the Olympia Show.