Dorothy Hatfield

Dorothy Helen Hatfield OBE FRAeS née McRither (January 1940 - 16 April 2024), aeronautical engineer, was in 1956 the first female engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), Brooklands. She became President of the Women's Engineering Society and was instrumental in setting up the Daphne Jackson Trust and the Lady Finniston Award for first year female engineering students. Hatfield was appointed an OBE for services to engineering in the 2014 Birthday Honours.

Life and career
Hatfield left school at 16 and successfully applied to be an engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, Brooklands, the first woman to do so. After six years she graduated with a first class honours degree in aeronautical engineering.

Hatfield returned to work after a career break to work in the flight simulation industry. She joined the Women's Engineering Society in 1962 and was its president from 1989 to 1991. She became a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1996.

Recognition
For her work with the Women's Engineering Society, Hatfield was awarded the Isabel Hardwich Medal in 2007.