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4. Statue of Sir Barnes Wallis - Downs, Beacon Hill
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis was born the son of a doctor on 26 September 1887 in Ripley, Derbyshire. Sir Barnes Wallis worked first at a marine engineering firm and in 1913 he moved to Vickers, where he designed airships, including the R100.
In 1930 Wallis transferred to working on aircraft. His achievements included the first use of geodesic design in engineering, which was used in his development of the Wellesley and Wellington bombers. When World War Two began in 1939, Wallis was Assistant Chief Designer at Vickers Aviation section. Sir Barnes Wallis went onto design the bouncing bomb, where he held the trials off of the shores of Herne Bay.
Tom White, the world renowned sculpture from Maine in the USA has created the life-size statue of Sir Barnes Wallis in bronze.
The statue is illuminated and protected by CCTV and tracking devices.