Francis Jones (physicist) facts for kids

Francis Edgar Jones was a clever British physicist. He was born in 1914 and passed away in 1988. He is best known for helping to create a special system called Oboe during World War II. This system helped planes drop bombs accurately even when they couldn't see their targets.

Early Life and Education

Francis Edgar Jones was born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1914. His father was a teacher. In 1921, his family moved to Dagenham, which is in Essex. He went to the Royal Liberty School in Romford. After that, he studied at King's College London.

Helping During World War II

During World War II, Jones worked at a place called the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE). Here, he worked with another scientist, Alec Reeves, to develop the Oboe blind bombing system. This amazing system used radio signals to guide bomber planes. It allowed them to hit targets accurately even at night or through thick clouds, when pilots couldn't see the ground.

Exploring New Technologies

After the war, Francis Jones continued his important research at TRE. He studied how to detect and understand infra-red and millimetre-wave radiation. These are types of energy that we can't see with our eyes. He also made very precise measurements of how fast radio waves travel.

Jones also looked at how radar could be used to study weather. Radar uses radio waves to find objects and measure their speed. He became a leader in the Physics Department at the Royal Radar Establishment.

In 1953, he became a top scientist at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. There, he started a joint rocket program with the Royal Society. This program was designed to explore the upper parts of Earth's atmosphere. He also worked with Desmond King-Hele to study the paths of artificial satellites orbiting Earth. In 1957, he helped write a book about detecting and measuring infra-red radiation.

Awards and Recognition

Francis Edgar Jones received important awards for his scientific work. In 1945, he was given the MBE award. This is an honour from the British King or Queen. In 1969, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the United Kingdom.