Walter Gibb
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander Walter Gibb DSO, DFC (26 March 1919 at Port Talbot
, Wales
– 4 October 2006) was a flying ace
and a British test pilot
who twice held the world altitude record.
) as an apprentice mechanic in 1937, before joining the RAF in May 1940 as a Pilot.
on long-range sorties in support of Coastal Command over the Bay of Biscay.
On 22 March 1943 he shared in the destruction of a Junkers Ju 88
with another Mosquito. His Squadron also saw action over Northern France in the lead-up to the Invasion in 1944. He also scored several train kills during these sorties.
Transferred to No. 605 Sqn as a Flight Commander, Gibb and his flight provided support for Dam Busters
during a raid on the Dortmund-Ems canal. On 14 September 1943 flying ahead of the Lancaster force, his Mosquitoes reported bad weather conditions and the mission was aborted until 15 September. Gibbs' Squadron suppressed the light flak and searchlights en route to aid the low flying Lancaster bombers.
Gibb then served for a short time with 1692 BSDU. He was promoted to Wing Commander and was given command of No. 239 Squadron, 100 Group, flying bomber support missions into Germany in 1945. He claimed five enemy night fighter aircraft shot down. he was awarded the DSO in May 1945.
He left the RAF in January 1946.
's maiden flight, and then flew it with himself in command, during in which the large aircraft suffered hydraulic failure, and suffered an emergency landing without flaps. The aircraft development programme was later scrapped in 1953.
Gibb and observer FM Piper, took off from Filton
near Bristol
on 4 May 1953 in an English Electric Canberra
bomber. Climbing to the west the Canberra reached an altitude of 63,668 ft; some 4,000 ft higher than the previous record.
Gibb became the chief Test pilot for BAC in 1955.
Flying the a Canberra fitted with more powerful Olympus engines Gibb made an attempt to break his own record on 29 August 1955. Taking off from Filton he climbed over the Bristol Channel
towards Ireland and levelled off at 50,000 ft in order to burn off fuel to lighten the aircraft before continuing his ascent. He turned east and finally reached a record altitude of 65,876 ft (nearly 12.5 miles high) over Bristol. He flew his Canberra up to this record height knowing he would possibly pass out due to the altitude, but would regain consciousness to safely land his Canberra.
In 1955 he test flew the Bristol Britannia
turbo-prop airliner. Despite some mechanical difficulties, he flew from Bristol to Johannesburg, South Africa, refueling once in Khartoum, the trip taking 19 hours. He trained airline pilots in the Britannia, and retired from Test Flying in 1960.
He then became Head of Service and Technical Support for the British Aircraft Company, and later became Chairman for British Aerospace Australia in 1978.
They married in 1944 and had three daughters. Walter was a member of the Thornbury Sailing Club, sailing until the age of 83. He was Twice the Club's Commodore, long serving Vice-President, and later became the club President.
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
– 4 October 2006) was a flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and a British test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
who twice held the world altitude record.
Early life
The son of a Scottish mining Engineer, Walter Frame Gibb was born near Port Talbot in Wales. He attended Clifton College before joining the aero-engine Division of the BAC (Bristol Aeroplane CompanyBristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
) as an apprentice mechanic in 1937, before joining the RAF in May 1940 as a Pilot.
Fighter Pilot
Upon completing his training at FTS Cranwell, he was identified as an above average pilot and was posted as a flight instructor at CFS, South Cerney in 1941. he also instructed at 54 OTU until June 1942, before attachment to 125 Squadron in February and March 1942. In early 1943 he joined No 264 Squadron, flying the de Havilland MosquitoDe Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
on long-range sorties in support of Coastal Command over the Bay of Biscay.
On 22 March 1943 he shared in the destruction of a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
with another Mosquito. His Squadron also saw action over Northern France in the lead-up to the Invasion in 1944. He also scored several train kills during these sorties.
Transferred to No. 605 Sqn as a Flight Commander, Gibb and his flight provided support for Dam Busters
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
during a raid on the Dortmund-Ems canal. On 14 September 1943 flying ahead of the Lancaster force, his Mosquitoes reported bad weather conditions and the mission was aborted until 15 September. Gibbs' Squadron suppressed the light flak and searchlights en route to aid the low flying Lancaster bombers.
Gibb then served for a short time with 1692 BSDU. He was promoted to Wing Commander and was given command of No. 239 Squadron, 100 Group, flying bomber support missions into Germany in 1945. He claimed five enemy night fighter aircraft shot down. he was awarded the DSO in May 1945.
He left the RAF in January 1946.
Test Pilot
After the war, he became a Test Pilot for BAC. Walter was the Co-Pilot for Bill Pegg during the Bristol BrabazonBristol Brabazon
The Bristol Type 167 Brabazon was a large propeller-driven airliner, designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company to fly transatlantic routes from the United Kingdom to the United States. The prototype was delivered in 1949, only to prove a commercial failure when airlines felt the airliner was too...
's maiden flight, and then flew it with himself in command, during in which the large aircraft suffered hydraulic failure, and suffered an emergency landing without flaps. The aircraft development programme was later scrapped in 1953.
Gibb and observer FM Piper, took off from Filton
Filton
Filton is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Bristol, about from the city centre. Filton lies in Bristol postcode areas BS7 and BS34. The town centres upon Filton Church, which dates back to the 12th century and is a grade II listed building...
near Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
on 4 May 1953 in an English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
bomber. Climbing to the west the Canberra reached an altitude of 63,668 ft; some 4,000 ft higher than the previous record.
Gibb became the chief Test pilot for BAC in 1955.
Flying the a Canberra fitted with more powerful Olympus engines Gibb made an attempt to break his own record on 29 August 1955. Taking off from Filton he climbed over the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
towards Ireland and levelled off at 50,000 ft in order to burn off fuel to lighten the aircraft before continuing his ascent. He turned east and finally reached a record altitude of 65,876 ft (nearly 12.5 miles high) over Bristol. He flew his Canberra up to this record height knowing he would possibly pass out due to the altitude, but would regain consciousness to safely land his Canberra.
In 1955 he test flew the Bristol Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
turbo-prop airliner. Despite some mechanical difficulties, he flew from Bristol to Johannesburg, South Africa, refueling once in Khartoum, the trip taking 19 hours. He trained airline pilots in the Britannia, and retired from Test Flying in 1960.
He then became Head of Service and Technical Support for the British Aircraft Company, and later became Chairman for British Aerospace Australia in 1978.
Personal life
Walter married Sylvia Reed, whom he met during his RAF service. She was a Flight Officer at the Operations room at RAF North Weald.They married in 1944 and had three daughters. Walter was a member of the Thornbury Sailing Club, sailing until the age of 83. He was Twice the Club's Commodore, long serving Vice-President, and later became the club President.