Allison
got into aviation in 1926 with the V-1410, an inverted version of
the World War I Liberty engine.
In 1930, Allison received a contract to develop
the V-1710 for the U.S. Navy's airships. In 1935, the airship
Macon crashed, the Navy cancelled the contract and James Allison
sold the company to General Motors.
After World War II, responsibility for developing
General Electric's J33 and J35 turbojets was transferred to
Allison. The company's first turboprop, the T38, first flew in
1949.
A management buyout in 1993 resulted in an
independent company and a name change to Allison Engines.
In 1995 Rolls-Royce purchased
Allison.
