Part 6 P-39 Airacobra Brooch King Peter II June 1942 Visits Lawrence D. Bell, Founder of Bell Aircraft Co.

In June of 1942, King Peter II, of Yugoslavia, and Godson and Envoy of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, of the United Kingdom, Great Britain, visited Lawrence Dale Bell at the Wheatfield Plant of Bell Aircraft Company. On this visit, the first P-39 Airacobra Brooch was secretly presented to Lawrence Dale Bell, Founder of The Bell Aircraft Company, by King Peter II. ------- ( This visit took place following King Peter II's address to "The United States Congress". ), ( Both King Peter II and Prime Minister Winston Churchill had visited President Franklin D. Roosevelt, at the White House, just days before this visit to The Bell Aircraft Company. ) ------ This historically invaluable brooch has many unique and unusual design and construction characteristics that makes it a truly "one of a kind" World War Two artifact, a national and international treasure. ------- A symbol of British and American cooperation during World War Two. --------- The P-39 Airacobra military fighter participated in virtually every major battle of World War Two. ---- The P-39 Airacobra fighter airplane was made for The United States Air Force, The United States Navy, The Royal Air Force, ( RAF ), of Great Britain, Countries of the United Kingdom, the Russian Red Air Force and the military of other Allied countries fighting in World War Two ---- The P-39 Airacobra was a major part in the "Lend / Lease Act" that supplied military equipment to the European Allies. Also pilots of the P-39 Airacobra achieved the highest number of scores / kills of any pilots flying an American made fighter plane during World War Two. ------- These 3 pictures were supplied by Steve Rogers and Tim Whetstone, who are on the Board Of Directors of " The Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum". ( from the Bell Aircraft Company monthly magazine " The Bellringer". ) --- These Pictures were taken from Larry Bell's personal "hard-copy" of the Bellringer , 1942. ( Kept at the Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum ) ----- ( The very first Royal gift to Larry Bell from King George VI consisted of two crates of parts, containing the first hand made "Whittle Jet Engine". The development of the first United States made jet engine was a joint project between The Bell Aircraft Company and General Electric (GE). The first jet airplane made in the United States was the XP-59, under development during King Peter II's visit to Bell Aircraft Company in 1942.), ( see "Part 2 P-39 Airacobra brooch" for more detailed information. ) ------ This secret presentation was not made public and the diamond and platinum, P-39 Airacobra Brooch was placed in a bank "trust", where it stayed for approx. 75 years. --- This brooch commemorated the completion of the first British order placed for 386, P-39's for the RAF. --- ( The RAF, "The British Royal Airforce purchased approximately 1,100 P-39 Airacobra Fighters during World War Two ) --- During this visit King Peter II was given the opportunity to sit in a p-39 and got to fire the cannon and all machine guns, an honor given to very few visitors at the Bell Aircraft Plant. ( see picture # 3 ) ---------- King Peter II was the Godson and Envoy of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, of Great Britain, The United Kingdom, and also belonged to the British Royal Air Force ( The RAF ) --- ( He also often acted as the "special envoy" for King George VI ) --------- Both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, refused to leave London during the bombings of Great Britain ----- The Silver, "Victory in Europe" or "V-E Day", ( GVII ), brooch was presented, in secret, to Larry Bell in July 1945, again by King Peter II. of Yugoslavia, Godson and Envoy of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. ---- The two P-39 Airacobra brooches were left by Lucille M. Bell, wife of Lawrence Dale Bell, Founder of The Bell Aircraft Company. ---- For a more detailed historical and educational accounting, please "google" -- Part 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, The P-39 Airacobra brooches of Larry Bell, Founder of The Bell Aircraft Company -------- See Part 9, The Bell p-39 Airacobra brooches, "Precious Metal Analysis" by "Koved Technology, LLC.", representing "The Thermo - Fisher Scientific Company". --- also See Part 8 for a comparison to United States General Dwight D. Eisenhower's, Russian, "Order of Victory Commendation" presented by Joseph Stalin of Russia, at the end of World War Two. ( photographs supplied by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Museum ) ---- more research to follow ----- For Questions of a historical and / or educational nature, email ---- Wayne Hugh Long ---- ( whlong2715@gmail.com ). -- ( last update 4/10/2023 )