Please note: The refurbished and exciting new Barnes Wallis and Aviation Pioneers exhibition will open in Spring 2009, but a temporary Barnes Wallis display, including the legendary Bouncing Bomb and the Teddington Catapult is open to the public.

Sir Barnes Wallis was born in 1887 and first made his name with the design for the dirigible R-100 airship.

In the 1930s, whilst working for Vickers at Weybridge, he pioneered the geodetic construction used in the Vickers Wellington bomber.

His 'bouncing' bomb was used by No. 617 Squadron, 'The Dambusters', in the famous raids on the Eder, Mohne and Sorpe dams in May 1943. An example of one of these bombs is on display.

After World War Two, Barnes Wallis designed the first swing-wing aircraft.

His name is also closely associated with the design of high penetration and very large bombs, carried by Bomber Command aircraft, namely the Grand Slam and the Tallboy, which are also on display at the Yorkshire Air Museum.