In 1912 Larry (Lawrence) Bell, a high school dropout joined his brother in the burgeoning aircraft industry at the Glenn L. Martin Company.
A mere eight years later 1920 Bell was vice president and general manager of Martin, by now based in Cleveland. Feeling that he deserved part ownership, in late 1924, he presented Martin with an ultimatum. Mr. Martin refused, and Bell quit.
In 1928 he was hired by Reuben H. Fleet at Consolidated Aircraft, in Buffalo, New York where he was guaranteed an interest in the company. In 1935 Fleet decided to move Consolidated Aircraft to San Diego and Bell stayed behind to establish his own company, the Bell Aircraft Company, on 10 July 1935.
Bell's first military contract followed in 1937 with the development of the ill-fated YFM-1 Airacuda, an unconventional bomber-destroyer powered by two Allison-powered pusher propellers. Bell also developed the Reaction Control System for the Mercury Spacecraft, North American X-15 and Bell Rocket Belt.
Helicopter development began at Bell Aircraft in 1941 with the Bell Model 30 first flying in 1943. Bell Helicopter became the only part of Bell Aircraft still producing aircraft when Bell was purchased by the Textron Corporation. That part of Textron is now known today as Bell Helicopter. After a series of successful helicopter designs, the UH-1 Iroquois became the most famous helicopter of the War in Vietnam and Bell Helicopter still designs and manufactures helicopters today.
.jpg)
