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Sir Barnes Neville Wallis

(1887-1979), Aeronautical designer and engineer

Sitter in 12 portraits
Born in Ripley, Derbyshire, Wallis originally trained as a marine engineer. However, in 1913 he went to work for the engineering firm Vickers at Barrow designing the R9 rigid airship, completed in 1916. After the war, he worked on the airship R80, which flew in 1920. At Vickers at Cardington, he developed airships for commercial routes to India and contributed to aeroplane designs including the Wellesley and Wellington bombers. Wallis devised the 'bouncing bombs' associated with the 'Dambuster' raids used by Lancaster bombers to destroy the Möhne and Eder dams in May 1943. He worked for Vickers until 1971.

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Sir Barnes Wallis, by Alfred Egerton Cooper - NPG 5464

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Alfred Egerton Cooper
oil on canvasboard, 1942
On display in Room 27 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5464

Sir Barnes Wallis, by Godfrey Argent - NPG x15123

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Godfrey Argent
bromide print, 16 November 1967
NPG x15123

Sir Barnes Wallis, by Ronald Franks - NPG x26005

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Ronald Franks
bromide print on card mount, 1968
NPG x26005

Sir Barnes Wallis looking at a model Concorde aeroplane with a group of children, by Bassano Ltd - NPG x172784

Sir Barnes Wallis looking at a model Concorde aeroplane with a group of children

by Bassano Ltd
contact sheet of twelve 2 1/4 inch square film negatives, 31 December 1970
NPG x172784

Sir Barnes Wallis, by Roger George Clark - NPG x15120

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Roger George Clark
bromide print, 2 July 1975
NPG x15120

Sir Barnes Wallis, by Roger George Clark - NPG x15121

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Roger George Clark
bromide print, 2 July 1975
NPG x15121

Web image not currently available

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, March 1945
NPG x185889

Web image not currently available

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Walter Stoneman
half-plate glass negative, March 1945
NPG x187112

Web image not currently available

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Walter Stoneman
half-plate glass negative, March 1945
NPG x187113

Web image not currently available

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Elliott & Fry
quarter-plate negative, December 1958
NPG x86073

Web image not currently available

Sir Barnes Wallis

by Central Press
bromide print, circa 1966
NPG x15122

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