Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (February 5, 1840 – November 24, 1916) is an American-born inventor who emigrates to the United Kingdom at the age of forty-one, although he remains an American citizen until he becomes a naturalized British subject in 1900.

He is the inventor of the Maxim Gun – the first portable, fully automatic machine gun – and an elaborate mousetrap.He lays a claim to inventing the light bulb, and even experiments with powered flight, but his large aircraft designs are never successful.

However, his "Captive Flying Machine" amusement ride, designed as a means by which to fund his research while generating public interest in flight, is highly successful.