Harry Wimperis

Who was Harry Wimperis?

Harry Egerton Wimperis was an aeronautical engineer who acted as the Director of Scientific Research at the UK's Air Ministry prior to World War II. He is best known for his role in setting up the Committee for the Scientific Survey of Air Defence under Henry Tizard, which led directly to the development and introduction of radar in the UK. He is also known for the development of the Drift Sight and Course Setting Bomb Sight during World War I, devices that revolutionized the art of bombing.

Wimperis was born to Joseph Price Wimperis, an Australian merchant, and Jemima Samuel in London. He started his studies at Royal College of Science and then moved to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge as an advanced student in 1898. During this period he wrote a series of engineering books covering internal combustion, road transport and air navigation.

Among his many inventions and works are the Wimperis accelerometer of 1909, the first accelerometer rugged enough for use measuring the performance of automobiles. He was directed to Elliott Brothers for manufacture, and this started a long relationship between Wimperis and the company.