PART TWO - LARRY AND LUCILLE BELL - WORLD WAR II - AVIATION'S HISTORICAL P-39 AIRACOBRA PLATINUM AND DIAMOND BROOCH

PART TWO ----------- THE P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH IS FORMED ON AN OPENWORK PLATINUM FRAME AND IT'S WINGS ARE MOUNTED WITH DIAMONDS, RUBIES, AND SAPPHIRES. ---- THE PLATINUM MOUNTING SURFACE ( FACE ) IS PEBBLIZED, ( GRANULATED ), TO ENHANCE THE VISUAL TEXTURE BETWEEN THE DIAMONDS, ( AS IS "THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN" ). ---- THE FRAME DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE UPPER ARCHES AND HALF ARCHES OF "THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN", ( "CROWN OF STATE" ), COMMISSIONED FOR THE CORONATION OF KING GEORGE VI, ON MAY 12, 1937, BY "THE CROWN JEWELLER", GARRARD AND COMPANY, LTD., OF LONDON. ENGLAND, MANAGED, AT THIS TIME, BY SEBASTIAN "HENRY" GARRARD, ( KNOWN AS "MAJOR 'HARRY' GARRARD", BORN 1874 - DIED 1946, AT AGE 72 ) ----------- THE MOST SECRET AND VALUABLE BROOCH, ( MEDALLION / BADGE ), IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION, AMERICAN / BRITISH RELATIONS, AND WORLD WAR TWO, --- A BRITISH ROYAL GIFT, REPRESENTING BRITISH AND AMERICAN MILITARY COOPERATION DURING WORLD WAR TWO. --- A BLEND OF THE REALITIES OF WAR AND THE OPTIMISM OF HIGH END, HIGHLY SKILLED, ART WORK. --- ALSO A BLEND OF EXTREME MECHANICAL DESIGN AND DETAIL, COMBINED WITH THE APPLICATION OF PRECIOUS METALS AND PRECIOUS JEWELS. ( THIS IS UNIQUE TO BROOCHES OF THIS TIME PERIOD. ) , ( KING GEORGE VI WAS THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY TO LEARN TO FLY. ) --- THE FIRST OF TWO SECRET BRITISH ROYAL RECOGNITIONS PRESENTED TO LAWRENCE DALE (LARRY) BELL, FOUNDER OF THE BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY ----- ( CURRENTLY KNOWN AS BELL HELICOPTER, A DIVISION OF TEXTRON, OR TODAY, "BELL" AND BELL AEROSPACE COMPANY, ( DEVELOPER OF THE BELL LUNAR LANDING AND TAKEOFF RESEARCH MODULE ( THE EAGLE ) ON THE APOLLO ELEVEN MISSION TO THE MOON AND RETURN TO EARTH WITH NEIL ARMSTRONG ). ----------- The first flight of the XP-39 Airacobra was April 6, 1939. ------ NEVER BEFORE HAS ONE BROOCH / MEDALLION, REPRESENTED THE APPRECIATION FROM SO MANY COUNTRIES, ( THE UNITED KINGDOM ), ALL FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM, AGAINST HITLER'S WAR MACHINE. ----------- [ This brooch was actually the "second royal gift" that Larry Bell received from King George VI, of Great Britain. ----- classified as a "Military Top Secret Project", by the United States and Great Britain, --- "Project MX-397" --- Involved the "first British royal gift", received in 1941, and consisted of two crates of parts that contained the "the First Handmade Whittle Jet Engine". ---- The resulting development of the American jet engine was a joint project between the Bell Aircraft Company and the General Electric Company, ( GE ), and of course The United States Air Force and The British Royal Air Force, (RAF ). ----- This Royal gift resulted in the "very first American jet propelled military aircraft" the "Bell XP-59A - Airacomet". ---------- The improved two engines were tested in March, 1942, and on October 2, 1942, the "Bell XP-59 Airacomet" conducted it's first successful flight. ------- The first American made jet engine was named "1-A", ( The Axial Flow Compressor ), and is on display at The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.. The "1-A" was developed into the "J-47" Jet Engine, the first jet engine certified for commercial use in The United States.] ----- [ Currently the top 3 producers of commercially used jet engines are -- General Electric ( GE Aviation ), -- Rolls-Royce, -- and -- Pratt & Whitney. ] --------- KING GEORGE VI, QUEEN ELIZABETH AND WINSTON CHURCHILL, WERE DESPERATE FOR MILITARY AIRCRAFT THAT COULD DEFEND ENGLAND, ( GREAT BRITAIN / THE UNITED KINGDOM ), AGAINST HITLER'S NEVER ENDING ATTACKS. ----------- ACCORDING TO "THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY" RECORDS, --- ON JUNE 16, 1942, KING GEORGE VI AND WINSTON CHURCHILL MET IN LONDON, THE DAY BEFORE CHURCHILL'S TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES. --------- ON JUNE 17, 1942, WINSTON CHURCHILL AND PARTY, BOARDED BOAC'S BRISTOL AT STRANRAER, SCOTLAND, FLYING TO BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, USA. ------ THIS WAS CHURCHILL'S ONLY "ATLANTIC ROUND TRIP" BY AIR, DURING WORLD WAR TWO. ------ UPON LANDING IN THE UNITED STATES, AT "THE ANACOSTIA NAVEL AIR FORCE BASE", JUNE 19, 1942, CHURCHILL TRAVELED TO HYDE PARK AND THEN TO WASHINGTON D.C. --------- KING PETER II FLEW FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., USA, ON BOARD A BRITISH R.A.F. BOMBER, LANDING OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON. D.C., ( ARRIVING ON SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 1942. ) ------------ ACCORDING TO "THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY", ( WASHINGTON, D.C. ), WINSTON CHURCHILL, ( VISITING JUNE 19 - 25, 1942 ), KING PETER II, ( VISITING JUNE 21 - 27, 1942 ), AND PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, MET IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AT "THE WHITE HOUSE". --------- ( NOTE: KING PETER II, WAS BORN SEPT. 6, 1923, AND ON MARCH 27, 1941, UPON COMING OF AGE, WAS PROCLAIMED KING PETER II, LATER HE MARRIED PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF GREECE AND DENMARK. THEY HAD ONE SON, HRH CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER, BORN JULY 17, 1945, AT CLARIDGE'S, IN LONDON, ENGLAND. ) ------------ DURING THIS LATE NIGHT MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE, BETWEEN PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, P.M. WINSTON CHURCHILL, AND KING PETER II, --- IT IS BELIEVED THAT POSSESSION OF THE P-39 AIRACOBRA, DIAMOND AND PLATINUM BROOCH, WAS TRANSFERRED FROM WINSTON CHURCHILL TO KING PETER II, ------ ( AT THIS POINT IN TIME, KING PETER II WAS ONLY 18 YEARS OLD ) ------- KING PETER II AND WINSTON CHURCHILL HAD PLANNED AND DIFFERING, TRAVEL DESTINATIONS AND PURPOSES. ---------- AFTER THE MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, WINSTON CHURCHILL, AND KING PETER II, -- CHURCHILL SECRETLY TRAVELED SOUTH, BY TRAIN TO FORT JACKSON, IN COLUMBIA, S.C., TO INSPECT AND REVIEW MILITARY TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT HEADED FOR EASTERN EUROPE. -------------- ON JUNE 25, 1942, KING PETER II ADDRESSED THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. ------------- AFTER THE CONGRESSIONAL ADDRESS, KING PETER II TRAVELED NORTH, TO THE WHEATFIELD PLANT OF BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY. -----( LOCATED CLOSE TO NIAGARA FALLS, ON THE USA SIDE OF THE US / CANADIAN BORDER ). ------ KING PETER ll, ( THE GODSON OF KING GEORGE Vl AND QUEEN ELIZABETH ), IN SECRET, PRESENTED THE DIAMOND AND PLATINUM P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH TO LAWRENCE DALE BELL, ( LARRY BELL, FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT CO. ) ------- THIS PRESENTATION COMMEMORATED THE COMPLETION OF THE VERY FIRST BRITISH ORDER OF 386, P-39 AIRACOBRA MILITARY FIGHTER AIRPLANES. ------------ POSSIBLY THE MOST VALUABLE BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY HISTORICAL ARTIFACT. ----- DURING THE SPAN OF WORLD WAR II, ONLY 2 BROOCHES WERE PRESENTED TO LARRY BELL, THESE WERE TWO OF THE BEST KEPT JEWELRY AND TREASURED SECRETS OF WORLD WAR 2. THESE TWO ITEMS WERE HIDDEN AND KEPT SECRET FROM PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLIC VIEW FOR APPROX. 75 YEARS. ---- ( HELD IN A "BANK TRUST", BY "SECURITY-FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF LOS ANGELES", CA., "TRUST NO. B-1540", AND WERE TRANSFERRED JAN. 24, 1955, TO "THE TRUST OFFICE" OF "THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF PALM BEACH", FLA. ) ------- THESE TWO ROYAL GIFTS, SIGNIFIED, SHOWED APPRECIATION FOR, AND COMMEMORATED, THE VERY FIRST EFFORTS OF KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE COUNTRIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, ( GREAT BRITAIN ), FROM THE FORCES OF HITLER'S NAZI WAR MACHINE. ---- ( THE FIRST BROOCH, SIGNIFIED THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST ORDER OF 386 P-39 AIRACOBRAS FOR THE BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE, ( R.A.F. ), ( INCLUDING THE 601 SQUADRON OF LONDON ). ---- ( MK-1, P-39 Cobra, P-400, P-39 Air Cobra, P-400 CARIBOU ) ----------- THE DIAMOND AND PLATINUM P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH REPRESENTED THE CRITICAL, WAR TIME RELATIONSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND OTHER EUROPEAN ALLIES ---- BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAWRENCE DALE BELL, (LARRY BELL), FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY, AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, ( THE R.A.F. ). THIS SECRET ROYAL GIFT MAY HAVE OPENED THE DOOR TO SOMETHING UNHEARD OF SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR -- A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MAJOR UNITED STATES COMPANY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ( GREAT BRITAIN ). -------------- GOING BACK IN TIME, JUNE 7-12, 1939, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT HOSTED KING GEORGE Vl AND QUEEN ELIZABETH ON A ROYAL VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES. ----THIS WAS THE FIRST BRITISH ROYAL VISIT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. --- THIS ROYAL TOUR INCLUDED TRAVELING TO NIAGARA FALLS, OUTSIDE OF WHICH WAS BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY'S, WHEATFIELD PLANT--- THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE P-39 AIRACOBRA MILITARY PERSUIT AIRCRAFT. ----- ( DURING THIS VISIT, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, PRESENTED F.D.R WITH A SOLID GOLD INKWELL BEARING "THE HOUSE OF WINDSOR COAT OF ARMS". THE INTERIOR LID IS INSCRIBED, " TO PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AS A SOUVENIR OF MY VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FROM "GEORGE R. I." -- 8th - 11th JUNE 1939. ---- MADE BY GARRARD AND COMPANY, LONDON. ---- THIS ROYAL GIFT IS ON DISPLAY AT "THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY". ) -------- ( ON AUGUST 10, 1939, THE RAF ORDERED 80, P-39 AIRACOBRA FIGHTERS, DESIGNATED AS P-45 ) -- ( IN SEPT. 1940, THE BRITISH R.A.F. ORDERED 386, P-39D AIRACOBRA FIGHTERS FROM BELL AIRCRAFT. AND, LATER, THIS ORDER WAS INCREASED TO 675, P-39'S ) --- ( THE FIRST AIRCRAFT ARRIVED IN BRITAIN IN JULY, 1940 ) ------------------------------------------- THE P-39 AIRACOBRA, BUILT FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, BY BELL AIRCRAFT, UNDER PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT -- AND -- THE ROYAL AIR FORCE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, (THE R.A.F. ) UNDER KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, (KNOWN AS THE P-400 CARIBOU IN THE UNITED KINGDOM), WAS THE FIRST FIGHTER AIRPLANE TO APPROACH THE SPEED OF SOUND AND PLANTED THE CONCEPT IN THE MIND OF LARRY BELL, AND THE ENGINEERS OF BELL AIRCRAFT, THAT THE "SOUND BARRIER" COULD BE ACHIEVED AND/OR BROKEN. --------- THE RAF (BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE) MODEL AH-574 (P-39 AIRACOBRA ) WAS THE VERY FIRST, "TRI-CYCLE" MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO LAND AND TAKE OFF FROM AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER PAVING THE WAY FOR ALL FUTURE MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO BE USED ON AIRCRAFT CARRIER SHIPS ----- ( THE P-39 AIRACOBRA LED THE WAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE P-63 KING COBRA AND A VAST ARRAY OF GROUND BREAKING EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT AND AVIATION INNOVATIONS. ) ---------------- ( THESE AND OTHER ITEMS WERE LEFT BEHIND BY LUCILLE M. BELL, OF 6 LAGOMAR ROAD, PALM BEACH, FLORIDA , WHO WAS THE WIFE OF LAWRENCE DALE "LARRY" BELL, FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY.) ---- ( LARRY BELL PASSED AWAY OCTOBER 20, 1956, AGE 62 ---- KING GEORGE VI PASSED AWAY FEBRUARY 6, 1952, AGE 56 ) --- ( Note, both Larry Bell and King George VI were "Free Masons". )------------------------ UNIQUE ASPECTS CONCERNING THE P-39 AIRACOBRA FIGHTER AIRPLANE BROOCH. ----- 1) SOLID PLATINUM -- THIS BROOCH MAY CONTAIN THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF SOLID, HIGH QUALITY, PLATINUM OF ANY KNOWN BROOCH ----- 2) ALL NATURAL STONES -- 3) ALL STONES ARE EITHER ROUND OR EMERALD CUT OR CUT TO FIT THE INTENDED POSITION -- 4) ALL ROUND DIAMONDS ARE "BRILLIANT CUT" STONES -- 5) ALL STONE MOUNTINGS ARE "PAVE', GRID, SET DESIGN / CONSTRUCTION, (THIS ITEM IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF PAVE' , GRID SET, "A JOUR", OPEN BACK, DIAMOND IN PLATINUM MOUNTINGS IN EXISTENCE ) -- 6) ALL STONES ARE "CALIBRE" CUT -- 7) ALL STONES ARE "OPEN BACK" SET -- 8) ALL STONES ARE EXPOSED ON TOP AND BOTTOM -- 9) ALL DIAMONDS ARE OF CALIBRATED, GRADUATED, SIZES --- LARGE TO SMALL -- OR SMALL TO LARGE --- 10) ON THE FRONT AND BACK WINGS, FOR EVERY DIAMOND, RUBY, AND SAPPHIRE, POSITION, THERE IS AN EXACT SIZED AND MATCHING STONE ON THE OPPOSITE WING, FOR EITHER ROUND, EMERALD, OR CALIBRE CUT STONES --- 11) ON THE REAR VERTICLE TAIL SECTION THERE ARE "STACKED" -- " DOUBLE SIDED" EMERALD CUT DIAMONDS, RUBIES, AND SAPPHIRES --- EACH STONE IS VISIBLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VERTICAL TAIL SECTION --- ( 7 horizontal red stripes, rubies -- 6 horizontal white stripes, diamonds, -- 1 vertical blue stripe, sapphires. ) --- 12) IN A FASHION SIMILAR TO "THE STALINGRAD SWORD", PRESENTED IN NOV. 1943 TO JOSEPH STALIN, BY WINSTON CHURCHILL, FROM KING GEORGE Vl, THE CANOPY WINDOWS ARE -- "CUT TO FIT, HIGHLY POLISHED, NATURAL ROCK CRYSTAL" --- 13) THE PROPELLER IS FIXED IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION --- 14) ALL "ONE PIECE" CONSTRUCTION -- EXCEPT FOR THE VERTICAL TAIL SECTION --- THE STONE SET SECTION, ( RED, WHITE, AND BLUE STRIPES ) THAT ARE STACKED, DOUBLE SIDED EMERALD CUT WHITE, HORIZONTAL ONE PIECE DIAMONDS, -- HORIZONTAL RED RUBIES , SIDE BY SIDE, AND , FORMING THE VERTICAL STRIPE, ( 13, STACKED ) BLUE SAPPHIRES. ------ 15) THE ATTACHING PIN "HINGE" HAS A "GOLD" SHAFT PIN --- THE ACTUAL ATTACHING PIN, WHICH IS PLATINUM, RUNS FROM FRONT RIGHT WING TIP TO FRONT LEFT WING TIP. --- THE PIN "CLASP" FOR THE ATTACHING PLATINUM PIN HAS A "GOLD" SHAFT PIN. --- 16) APPROXIMATE MANUFACTURING DATES 1940 TO 1942. --------- AIRPLANE IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS INDICATE PRE-1939 AND PRE-PRODUCTION OR VERY EARLY BELL AIRCRAFT DESIGN --- ( Note, there are 'no' wing based ( 2 x 2) air intakes on the diamond and platinum brooch, as was the actual first model P-39 ) , ( the "Silver Bullet" brooch 'DOES' show the wing based 2x2 air intake portals. This fact supports the dating . ) , --------- ( IN 1939 THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE CHANGED MILITARY AIRPLANE WING, BODY, AND TAIL SECTION IDENTIFICATIONS AND MARKINGS ) --- 17) ONE OF A KIND KNOWN TO EXIST --- 18) LEFT BEHIND BY -LUCILLE MAINWARING BELL, ( OF 6 LAGOMAR ROAD, PALM BEACH, FLORIDA ), WHO WAS THE WIFE OF LAWRENCE "LARRY" DALE BELL, FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION --- 19) HISTORICALLY INVALUABLE AND RESEARCH IS ON GOING. --- 20) A " COBRA SNAKE" IS MOUNTED ON THE FRONT HOOD, THIS IS ALSO SOLID PLATINUM --- 21) THE DIAMOND AND PLATINUM P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH HAS NEVER BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE, AND HAS NEVER BEEN PLACED ON PUBLIC DISPLAY. ---- 22) THE "SILVER V-E DAY, P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH HAS NEVER BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE --- 23) BOTH ITEMS REMAIN IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. AND HAVE NEVER BEEN PLACED ON PUBLIC DISPLAY. --------------------------- FOR SECURITY PURPOSES THE EXACT COUNT OF DIAMONDS, RUBIES, AND SAPPHIRES ARE NOT MADE PUBLIC AND CAN NOT BE DETERMINED BY ANY PHOTOGRAPH MADE PUBLIC ---- ALSO ---- THE LOCATION, EXACT LENGTH, EXACT WIDTH, AND EXACT WEIGHT, OF THIS ITEM CANNOT BE AND WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. ------- MULTI-DIRECTIONAL HIGH DEFINITION PHOTOGRAPHS UNDER ULTRAVIOLET ( UV ) LIGHT, ( for individual stone fluoresence ), HAVE BEEN RECORDED. ------- RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION, AS TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES, ORIGIN AND ANY ASPECT OF A HISTORICAL NATURE CONCERNING THIS AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS, IS ON-GOING. ---- THE P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH MAY VERY WELL BE THE "FIRST" ROYAL GIFT SECRETLY PRESENTED TO A UNITED STATES CITIZEN SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. ----- THE INTENT OF THIS POSTING IS TO COLLECT, AND SHARE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS OF A VERIFIABLE AND ACCURATE HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL NATURE. -- CONTACT VIA EMAIL -- WAYNE H. LONG -- (whlong2715@gmail.com) - ( updated 4/10/2023 )