| Frank George Gibbons | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 June 1899 Peterborough, England |
| Died | 21 May 1932 Stanton, Norfolk, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Unit | Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Flying Corps, No. 22 Squadron RAF, No. 111 Squadron RAF |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Other work | Pilot, engineer, and air racer |
Lieutenant Frank George Gibbons was an aviation pioneer. He was a flying ace credited with fourteen victories, all against enemy fighter planes, during World War I. Postwar, he became an air racer.[1]
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Gibbons joined the Royal Flying Corps as an air cadet mechanic in June 1917. He was commissioned in November 1917.[2] His first aerial victory came on 31 May 1918. He was piloting a two-seater Bristol F.2 Fighter for 22 Squadron with John Jones manning the guns in the observer's seat, when they drove a Pfalz D.III down out of control near Armentières. This was the first in an uninterrupted string that carried through until 27 September 1918, and that saw such aces as John H. Umney, Ronald Malcolm Fletcher, Valentine Collins, Christopher Shannon, and James McDonald man the observer's guns while teamed with Gibbons. In the final tally, Gibbon had destroyed six German fighter planes and driven eight others down out of control,[3] although his front gun was responsible for only three or four of those.[4]
On 2 March 1920, Gibbons was transferred to the unemployed list of the Royal Air Force.[5] On 22 April 1920, he received Aviators Certificate no. 7860.[6]
On 26 December 1922, he was granted a permanent commission as a Flying Officer in place of his short service commission, with seniority date fixed at 15 June 1920.[7]
On 1 January 1926, he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant.[8]
Gibbons was elected to membership in the Royal Aero Club on 14 March 1928.[9]
Gibbons was participating in an air race sponsored by the Morning Post on 21 May 1932, when he was killed by crashing into a tree. It was believed he was looking at a map inside the cockpit at the moment of the accident.[10] The poor flying weather and the format of a point to point to point race would seem contributory to his death.[11]
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 30 May 1919.[12]