Laurence
Bell worked for both the Glenn L. Martin and Consolidated Aircraft
companies before forming his own aircraft company in 1935 when
Consolidated relocated to San Diego.
Bell Aircraft developed the P-39 Airacobra and
the P-59 Airacomet (the
first American jet aircraft).
Directly after World War II, Bell Aircraft was at
the forefront of the U.S. military's experimental aircraft work and
produced the world's first supersonic aircraft, the
X-1.
Bell Aircraft was a pioneer in helicopter
development in the
U.S. and the Model 47 of 1946 was the first helicopter to receive
civil certification. Bell also advanced helicopter technology
by introducing a turbine-powered helicopter--the UH-1 Iroquois or
"Huey".
Bell Aircraft became part of Textron in 1960.
