If you're an aviation buff, you don't want to miss a presentation by John Percy, "Larry Bell's Aircraft Challenges and Accomplishments." The presentation will take place on Thursday, April 28th, at 7pm in the Lutheran Church of the Messiah (915 Oneida St., Lewiston, NY).
Percy will discuss Larry Bell's work with Consolidated Aircraft and the establishment of Bell Aircraft in the Buffalo Consolidated Aircraft factory on Elmwood Avenue in 1937, and his subsequent move to the Niagara Falls facility in 1941.
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Bell Aircraft main factory, Wheatfield, NY, 1940s
Photo courtesy Library of Congress |
Also highlighted during the program will be the Bell airplanes including the Airacuda, Airacobra, Airacomet, Kingcobra, the plywood plane experiment, building the Stratofortress in Georgia, X1, X2, X5,etc. and through the various helicopters, VTOL, and moon lander. Attenedees will also learn about Bell's development of the super secret P59 in Buffalo, experimenting with helicopters at Gardenville, the classic Model 47 helicopter, supersonic planes, and their air-cushion vehicles.
Mr. Percy has served as historian for the Town of Tonawanda and the Village of Kenmore since 1969 and has presented a wide variety of historical programs to several hundred community organizations
throughout Western New York and in Ontario.
This event is free and open to all, refreshments will be served.
