Frances Bradfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frances Bradfield
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| Born | 9 October 1895 |
| Died | 26 February 1967 (aged 71) |
| Nationality | British |
| Awards | OBE 1947 |
Frances Beatrice Bradfield (born October 9, 1895 – died February 26, 1967) was a brilliant engineer who designed airplanes. She worked at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in Farnborough, Hampshire. At the RAE, she led the Wind Tunnels Section. She also helped many younger engineers learn and grow in their careers.
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Early Life and Education
Frances Bradfield was born in 1895 in Leicester, England. In 1914, she went to Newnham College, Cambridge, a famous university. She studied mathematics and earned her degree in 1917.
Working with Airplanes
After finishing college, Frances Bradfield joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). This was around 1919. She spent her whole career there, researching how airplanes fly. She became an expert in Wind tunnel research.
What is a Wind Tunnel?
A wind tunnel is a special tool used by engineers. It's like a big tube where air is blown very fast. Engineers place small models of airplanes inside. This helps them see how air moves around the plane. It also shows how the plane will fly in real life.
Leading the Wind Tunnels
Frances Bradfield published her first research in 1919. She wrote many papers about her wind tunnel findings. In the early 1930s, she worked closely with George Douglas. He was the head of the Wind Tunnels at RAE.
By 1934, Frances Bradfield became the head of the Wind Tunnels section herself. She kept this important job through the 1930s and during World War II. She made sure the wind tunnel tests were accurate. She also made sure they helped design better airplanes.
Working with Other Engineers
Frances Bradfield worked with many other talented people. She collaborated with Charles Callen, her supporting engineer. She also worked with other female engineers at RAE. These included Johanna Weber and Beatrice Shilling.
Awards and Recognition
Frances Bradfield was recognized for her important work. She became a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1944. This is a very high honor for an aerospace engineer. In 1949, she won their Bronze Medal.
In 1947, she received an OBE. This award from the British government honored her as a Principal Scientific Officer at RAE. It showed how much her country valued her contributions.
Later Life and Legacy
Frances Bradfield passed away in 1967. Her colleagues remembered her as 'Miss B.' She was known as a demanding but kind boss. She had a big impact on the young engineers she mentored. Many of them went on to hold important positions later in their careers.
Her life story was added to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in 2019. This was part of a project to celebrate women in engineering.
