LARRY BELL, FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT, AND FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT HOLDING A P-39 AIRACOBRA DESK MODEL, 1940

RARE 1940 PHOTOGRAPH OF LARRY BELL, FOUNDER OF BELL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION WITH UNITED STATES PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT IS HOLDING A P-39 AIRACOBRA DESK MODEL. PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY -- DANA BAYNE, HISTORIAN OF BELL HELICOPTER, A DIVISION OF TEXTRON, OR "BELL", IN FORT WORTH TX. -------- PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT TOURED THE " WHEATFIELD PLANT" OF BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY IN 1940. ------------ ------------- PICTURE 2 IS THE DIAMOND AND PLATINUM P39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH -- PRESENTED, IN SECRET, TO LAWRENCE DALE "LARRY" BELL IN 1942 BY KING PETER II, GODSON OF KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER OF GREAT BRITIAN / THE UNITED KINGDOM. ------ PICTURES 3 AND 4 ARE OF THE "V-E DAY", ( VICTORY IN EUROPE ), SILVER AND PLATINUM, P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCH, ALSO PRESENTED IN SECRET, TO LAWRENCE DALE "LARRY" BELL IN 1945 BY KING PETER VI, GODSON OF KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER, OF GREAT BRITAIN. ------- DURING WORLD WAR TWO, BOTH KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER, REFUSED TO LEAVE GREAT BRITAIN. ------- BOTH ITEMS WERE LEFT BEHIND BY LUCILLE M. BELL, ( OF 6 LAGOMAR ROAD, PALM BEACH, FLORIDA ), WHO WAS THE WIFE OF LAWRENCE 'LARRY' DALE BELL, FOUNDER OF THE BELL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION. -------------- THE RAF PURCHASED APROX. 1,100 AIRACOBRAS PRIOR TO AND DURING WORLD WAR TWO ---------- BOTH THE DIAMOND AND PLATINUM AS WELL AS THE SILVER AND PLATINUM BROOCHES WERE PLACED IN A BANK "TRUST", WHERE THEY STAYED FOR OVER 75 YEARS. THE EXISTENCE OF THESE TWO BROOCHES WERE NEVER MADE PUBLIC, AND TO THIS DAY BOTH BROOCHES REMAIN IN SEPARATE BANK VAULTS AND HAVE BEEN SEEN BY VERY FEW PEOPLE, EXCEPT BY WAY OF PHOTOGRAPHS ---- MANY MUSEUMS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN RESEARCHING THESE TWO ITEMS -- IN THE USA, LONDON, ENGLAND AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. -------------- BOTH OF THESE BROOCHES HAVE SOME VERY UNIQUE QUALITIES THAT ARE ----- NOT THE NORMAL ---------- THE "SILVER BULLET" OR "V-E" DAY BROOCH, PICTURES 3 AND 4 IS DESIGNED FOR 360 DEGREE VIEWING, WHICH IS UNIQUE FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. ------- FOR A MORE DETAILED HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION, -- "GOOGLE" -- PARTS 2-3-4-5-6, P-39 AIRACOBRA BROOCHES OF LAWRENCE DALE "LARRY" BELL, FOUNDER OF THE BELL AIRCRAFT COMPANY. ----------- RESEARCH IS CONTINUING ----- FOR QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION OF A HISTORICAL AND/OR EDUCATIONAL NATURE, PLEASE CONTACT-------- WAYNE HUGH LONG. --- EMAIL --- ( whlong2715@gmail.com ).