Aircraft Significant to Canada: The McCurdy Biplane

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McCurdy Biplane

Although neither designed nor built in Canada, J.A.D. McCurdys biplane played a role in Canadian aviation history. After the dissolution of the Canadian Aerodrome Company, McCurdy joined Glenn Curtiss, but left his corporation in May 1911, forming his own company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 20 June. He subsequently designed a biplane with no forward elevator, unusual for the time, and powered by a Gnome engine. McCurdy contracted the Queen Aeroplane Company of New York City to build six of the airplanes.

Three of the biplanes were sold to private hands. G.G. Hubbard II, a relative of Alexander Graham Bell, bought one, as did W.E. Doherty of Buffalo. One of McCurdys pilot pupils, a Doctor Weidman also purchased one.

Three of the new biplanes were shipped to Hamilton to participate in an air display. The exhibition in Hamilton was held on a farm on the outskirts of the city, from 27 to 29 July. One biplane, which had been tested in New York, was assembled and performed well. On 1 August, McCurdy, Charles Willard and J.V. Martin participated in an unofficial race from Hamilton to Toronto, this being the first inter-city flight in Canada. Despite the fact that Willard departed 10 minutes before him, McCurdy won the race, covering the distance of 72 kms (45 miles) in 32 minutes, landing at Fishermans Island. The next day McCurdy and Willard flew in an exhibition at Donlands Farm northeast of Toronto; however, McCurdys plane was launched into the air prematurely by the bumpy field, crashed and was destroyed.

The McCurdy biplane goes into the Canadian aviation record as being the only aircraft that was wholly designed by J.A.D. McCurdy, the Canadian aviation pioneer, and as the first airplane to make an inter-city flight in Canada.

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