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Deaths on October 30

Barnes Wallis
1979Oct, 30

Barnes Wallis

Barnes Wallis, English scientist and engineer, invented the "bouncing bomb" (b. 1887)
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis (26 September 1887 – 30 October 1979) was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the Royal Air Force in Operation Chastise (the "Dambusters" raid) to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II.

The raid was the subject of the 1955 film The Dam Busters, in which Wallis was played by Michael Redgrave. Among his other inventions were his version of the geodetic airframe and the earthquake bomb.

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Events on 1979

  • 1Feb

    Ruhollah Khomeini

    Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after nearly 15 years of exile.
  • 11Feb

    Ruhollah Khomeini

    The Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
  • 16Mar

    People's Liberation Army

    Sino-Vietnamese War: The People's Liberation Army crosses the border back into China, ends the war.
  • 15Jul

    Malaise speech

    U.S. President Jimmy Carter gives his "malaise speech".
  • 16Dec

    OPEC

    Libya joins four other OPEC nations in raising crude oil prices, which has an immediate, dramatic effect on the United States.