Robert Alexander Watson Watt
- Name : Watson-Watt
- Born : 1892
- Died : 1973
- Category : Scientists and Inventors
- Finest Moment : Invention of radar
Born at Brechin, on 13 April 1892, Watson Watt (he started out without the hyphen), began his studies at Dundee, with particular interest in radio waves. No, I don't know either how or why someone gets interested in radio waves, but in this particular instance it was to lead to a life-saving device.
He also attended the University of St Andrews, and later taught at University College, Dundee. Between 1915 and 1952 he held a number of government positions, one interesting one being as a meteorologist, when he attempted to come up with a device for locating thunderstorms. This period may well have been crucial for Watson Watt, as thunderstorms are well known for their electrical activity. He also researched a method for tracking aircraft by its distortion of radio signals.
In 1935, the British Air Ministry was given a report regretting that there was no practical way of devising any kind of radiation beam in air defence. Three weeks later, without being asked, Watson Watt presented to the ministry a detailed plan of a large-scale defence system, based on radiolocation (later renamed radar). Under his supervision radar defences were set up, and a few years later played a major part in the defence of Britain against German air raids in 1940 onwards. The right man, with the right knowledge, in the right place, at the right time.
In 1942, Watson-Watt hyphenated his name and was knighted. Think about him next time you wait your turn to land at a busy airport obscured by cloud. He died on 5 December 1973, in Inverness.