Editing Bell Textron

{{Short description|Aerospace manufacturer in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Bell Textron Inc.
| logo = Bell logo 2018.svg
| logo_size = 180px
| logo_caption = Logo as of 2018
| former_name = {{ubl|Bell Helicopter Company|Bell Helicopter Textron|Bell Helicopter}}
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| predecessor = [[Bell Aircraft]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1960}}
| founder = 
| location_city = [[Fort Worth, Texas]]
| location_country = US
| key_people = Lisa Atherton <ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/224779-lisa-atherton-named-president-and-ceo-of-bell|title=Lisa Atherton Named President and CEO of Bell|date=April 10, 2023|access-date=April 18, 2023|archive-date=April 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418153521/https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/224779-lisa-atherton-named-president-and-ceo-of-bell|url-status=live}}</ref> ([[President (corporate title)|president]] & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
| industry = [[Aerospace]]<br>Defense
| products = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| num_employees = 
| parent = [[Textron]]
| subsid = 
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.bellflight.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.textron.com/about/our-businesses/|title=About Textron: Our Businesses|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=December 31, 2015|archive-date=January 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116055903/https://www.textron.com/About/Our-Businesses|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

'''Bell Textron Inc.''' is an American [[aerospace manufacturer]] headquartered in [[Fort Worth, Texas]]. A subsidiary of [[Textron]], Bell manufactures military [[rotorcraft]] at facilities in Fort Worth, and [[Amarillo, Texas]], United States as well as commercial [[helicopter]]s in [[Mirabel, Quebec]], [[Canada]].

==History==
===Bell Aircraft===
{{main|Bell Aircraft}}
The company was founded on July 10, 1935, as [[Bell Aircraft|Bell Aircraft Corporation]] by [[Lawrence Dale Bell]] in [[Buffalo, New York]]. The company focused on the designing and building of fighter aircraft. Their first fighters were the [[Bell YFM-1 Airacuda|XFM-1 Airacuda]], a twin-engine fighter for attacking bombers, and the [[P-39 Airacobra]]. The [[P-59 Airacomet]], the first American jet fighter, the [[P-63 Kingcobra]], the successor to the P-39, and the [[Bell X-1]] were also Bell products.<ref name="Bell_hist">[http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/company/history.cfm History of Bell Helicopter] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070603084523/http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/company/history.cfm |date=June 3, 2007}}. bellhelicopter.com</ref>

[[File:Bellhelicopter.MOMA.JPG|right|thumb|A [[Bell 47]] is displayed at the [[Museum of Modern Art|MoMA]]]]
[[File:Bell Textron logo.svg|thumb|Previous Bell logo]]

In 1941, Bell hired [[Arthur M. Young]], a talented inventor, to provide expertise for [[helicopter]] research and development. It was the foundation for what Bell hoped would be a broader economic base for his company that was not dependent on [[government contracts]]. The [[Bell 30]] was their first full-size helicopter (first flight December 29, 1942) and the [[Bell 47]] became the first helicopter in the world rated by a [[civil aviation authority]], becoming a civilian and military success.<ref name="Bell_hist" /> Due to its burgeoning success, the helicopter division relocated as a separate unit to Hurst, Texas in 1951.

===Bell Helicopter===
[[Textron]] purchased Bell Aerospace in 1960. Bell Aerospace was composed of three divisions of Bell Aircraft Corporation, including its helicopter division, which had become its only division still producing complete aircraft. The helicopter division was renamed '''Bell Helicopter Company''' and in a few years, with the success of the [[UH-1 Iroquois|UH-1]] Huey during the Vietnam War, it had established itself as the largest division of Textron. In January 1976, Textron changed the division's name to '''Bell Helicopter Textron'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/training/index.cfm?content=about/history.cfm&g_folder=header_4|title=Our History|publisher=Bell Training Academy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222718/http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/training/index.cfm?content=about%2Fhistory.cfm&g_folder=header_4|archive-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref>

Bell Helicopter had a close association with [[AgustaWestland]]. The partnership dated back to separate manufacturing and technology agreements with [[Agusta]] ([[Bell 47]] and [[Bell 206]]) and as a sublicence via Agusta with [[Westland Aircraft|Westland]] ([[Bell 47]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.helis.com/timeline/westland4.php|title=Westland History – Part 4|access-date=November 15, 2006|archive-date=November 7, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107104901/http://www.helis.com/timeline/westland4.php|url-status=live}}</ref> When the two European firms merged, the partnerships were retained, with the exception of the AB139, which is now known as the [[AgustaWestland AW139|AW139]]. Bell and AW cooperated also on the [[AW609]] [[tiltrotor]].<ref name=ojeh>Oliver Johnson & Elan Head. "[http://www.verticalmag.com/news/article/BellCEOoutlinesEuropeangrowthplan Bell CEO outlines European growth plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521063551/https://verticalmag.com/news/bellceooutlineseuropeangrowthplan/ |date=May 21, 2024 }}" ''Vertical'', October 15, 2014. Accessed: October 21, 2014.</ref>

Bell planned to reduce employment by 760 in 2014 as fewer [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey|V-22s]] were made.<ref name=ojeh/> A [[rapid prototyping]] center called XworX assists Bell's other divisions in reducing development time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2009-12-29/bells-xworx-studying-improved-rotor-blades|title=Bell's XworX studying improved rotor blades|work=Aviation International News|access-date=October 21, 2015|archive-date=June 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630153009/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2009-12-29/bells-xworx-studying-improved-rotor-blades|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The company was rebranded as "Bell" on February 22, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/Bell-Drops-Helicopter-Rebrands-Company-as-Tech-Company-Redefining-Flight-474868643.html|title=Bell Drops 'Helicopter,' Unveils New Dragonfly Logo|date=February 22, 2018 |access-date=February 22, 2018|archive-date=February 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223051846/https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/Bell-Drops-Helicopter-Rebrands-Company-as-Tech-Company-Redefining-Flight-474868643.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Product list==
Established in 1986, its [[Mirabel, Quebec]] facility assembles and delivers most of Bell's commercial helicopters and delivered its 5,000th helicopter on December 12, 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-12-13/bell-canada-delivers-5000th-civil-helicopter |title= Bell Canada Delivers 5,000th Civil Helicopter |author= Mark Huber |date= December 13, 2017 |work= AIN |access-date= December 14, 2017 |archive-date= December 14, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171214182713/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-12-13/bell-canada-delivers-5000th-civil-helicopter |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Commercial helicopters===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Model !! Intro. !! Until !! colspan= 2 data-sort-type="number"| MTOW (lb/t) !! Notes
|-
| [[Bell 47]] || 1946 || 1974 || 2,950 || 1.34 
| based on the [[Bell 30]] prototype, piston engine
|-
| [[Bell 47J Ranger]] || 1956 || 1967 ||2,950 || 1.34
| Bell 47 executive variant
|-
| [[Bell 204/205]] || 1959 || 1980s || 9,500  || 4.31
| [[Huey family]] civil variant, single turboshaft
|-
| [[Bell 206]] || 1967 || 2017 || 3,200 || 1.45
| light single or twin turboshaft
|-
| [[Bell 204/205|Bell 210]] || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || 11,200  || 5.08
| 205B
|-
| [[Bell 212]] || 1968 || 1998 || 11,200  || 5.08
| Civilian [[UH-1N Twin Huey]]
|-
| [[Bell 214]] || 1972 || 1981 || 15,000 || 6.8 
| larger Huey
|-
| [[Bell 214ST]] || 1982 || 1993 || 17,500 || 7.94 
| medium twin derived from the 214
|-
| [[Bell 222/230]] || 1979 || 1995 || 8,400  || 3.81
| light twin
|-
| [[Bell 407]] || 1995 || current || 6,000 || 2.72
| four-blade single derived from the 206L-4
|-
| [[Bell 412]] || 1981 || current || 11,900 || 5.4
| four-blade 212
|-
| [[Bell 427]] || 2000 || 2010 || 6,550 || 2.97
| 407 derived light twin
|-
| [[Bell 429 GlobalRanger]] || 2009 || current || 7,000/7,500 || 3.2
| new light twin
|-
| [[Bell 430]] || 1995 || 2008 || 9,300 || 4.22
| 230 stretch with 4 bladed rotor
|-
| [[Bell 525 Relentless]] || 2018 || current || 20,500 || 9.3
| in development
|-
| [[Bell 505 Jet Ranger X]] || 2017 || current || 3,680 || 1.67 
| 206L4 drive and rotors
|-
|[[Bell Nexus]]
|2020
|current
|{{TBD}}
|{{TBD}}
|pre-production hybrid-electric propulsion system with six tilting ducted fans<ref>{{Cite web|title=StackPath|url=https://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/commercial/article/16543447/bell-helicopter-unveils-nexus-air-taxi-at-ces|access-date=2020-12-09|website=www.intelligent-aerospace.com|archive-date=June 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627070936/https://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/commercial/article/16543447/bell-helicopter-unveils-nexus-air-taxi-at-ces|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2019/01/14/bell-nexus-vtol-air-taxi-makes-a-splash-at-2019-consumer-electronics-show/|title=Bell Nexus VTOL Air Taxi Makes A Splash At 2019 Consumer Electronics Show|last=Goldstein|first=Michael|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-02-02|archive-date=February 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202095755/https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2019/01/14/bell-nexus-vtol-air-taxi-makes-a-splash-at-2019-consumer-electronics-show/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Smithsonian To Reveal the Bell Nexus 'Air Taxi' at "FUTURES"|url=https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-reveal-bell-nexus-air-taxi-futures|access-date=2021-11-29|website=Smithsonian Institution|language=en|archive-date=November 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129205742/https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-reveal-bell-nexus-air-taxi-futures|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

===Gallery===
<gallery mode="packed">
File:heli.g-code.750pix.jpg|Bell 206B JetRanger III
File:Navy-hh1n-158256-070327-09cr-10.jpg|Comparison of the Bell 212 (U.S. Navy [[UH-1N|HH-1N]]) and 412 (Mercy Air) at the Mojave Airport
File:Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 of the RAF at RIAT 2010 arp.jpg|[[Bell 412]]EP Griffin HT1 helicopter of the UK  [[Defence Helicopter Flying School]]
File:Bell Nexus Air Taxi - 1.jpg|Bell Nexus ‘Air Taxi’ at Smithsonian in 2022
File:Bell Nexus Air Taxi - 2.jpg|Bell Nexus ‘Air Taxi’ at Smithsonian in 2022
</gallery>

===Military helicopters===
* [[Bell H-12]]
* [[Bell H-13 Sioux]]
** [[Bell 201|Bell XH-13F]]
* [[Bell XH-15]]
* [[Bell HSL]]
* [[Bell UH-1 Iroquois]] (or Huey)
** [[Bell Huey family]]
** [[Bell UH-1 Iroquois variants]]
* [[Bell UH-1N Twin Huey]]
* [[Bell YHO-4]]
* [[Bell 207 Sioux Scout]] – experimental attack helicopter
* [[Bell 533]] – experimental Huey variant with increased performance
* [[Bell AH-1 Cobra]]
* [[Bell AH-1 SuperCobra|Bell AH-1 SeaCobra/SuperCobra]]
* [[Bell 309 KingCobra]] - experimental attack helicopter
* [[Bell YAH-63|YAH-63/Model 409]] – competitor with the [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|YAH-64]] for [[Advanced Attack Helicopter]] program
* [[Bell OH-58 Kiowa]]
* [[H-1 upgrade program]]
** [[Bell UH-1Y Venom]]
** [[Bell AH-1Z Viper]]
* [[Bell CH-146 Griffon]]
* [[Bell ARH-70 Arapaho]] - cancelled armed reconnaissance helicopter
* [[Bell 360 Invictus]] - proposed armed reconnaissance helicopter

===Tiltrotors===
[[File:CV-22 Osprey in flight.jpg|thumb|right|V-22 in flight]]
[[File:Bell V-280 Valor takeoff demo, 2019 Alliance Air Show, Fort Worth, TX.jpg|thumb|right|V-280 in flight]]

* [[Bell XV-3]]
* [[Bell XV-15]]
* [[Bell Pointer]]
* [[Bell V-247 Vigilant]] – currently in development
* [[Bell V-280 Valor]] – currently in development, first flown 2017
* [[V-22 Osprey]] – with [[Boeing Defense, Space & Security|Boeing BDS]]
* [[Bell Eagle Eye|TR918 Eagle Eye UAV]]
* [[Bell Boeing Quad TiltRotor|Quad TiltRotor]] – with Boeing BDS
* [[Bell BAT]] (1984 tiltrotor project for LHX programme – not built)
* [[Bell CTR-1900]] (Tilt-rotor project only – not built)
* [[Bell CTR-22]] (Tilt-rotor project only – not built)
* [[Bell CTR-750]] (Tilt-rotor project only – not built)
* [[Bell CTR-800]] (Tilt-rotor project only – not built)
* [[Bell D-326]] (Clipper 1980 commercial tilt-rotor project – not built)

===Projects produced by other companies===
* [[AgustaWestland AW139]] helicopter (formerly 50-50 as the Agusta-Bell AB139, now 100% [[AgustaWestland]])
* [[AgustaWestland AW609]] tiltrotor (formerly 50-50 as the Bell-Agusta BA609, now 100% AgustaWestland)
* [[Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel]]

====Unproduced designs====
* [[Bell 280]] (project only, twin-engined wide-body variant of the Cobra)
* [[Bell D-218]]
* [[Bell D-230]] (Flying Jeep project – not built)
* [[Bell D-245]]
* [[Bell D-246]]
* [[Bell 400 TwinRanger]] (1984), cancelled 206-derived light twin 
* [[Bell D-292]] (1985), [[Light Helicopter Experimental]] (LHX) prototype
* Bell 417 (2006) cancelled [[Bell 407]] growth variant
* [[Bell FCX-001]], March 2017 concept

==Facilities==
Bell manufacturing and support facilities are:

;Military
* [[Fort Worth, Texas]] – located at six manufacturing facilities throughout the DFW area; of these six the Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) in Fort Worth, Texas serves as the primary manufacturing development facility of the Bell V-280 Valor, Bell 360 Invictus<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bell Helicopter Expands Amarillo Manufacturing|url=https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/190850-bell-unveils-new-manufacturing-technology-center|access-date=2022-11-20|website=news.bellflight.com|date=August 10, 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=November 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120182725/https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/190850-bell-unveils-new-manufacturing-technology-center|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Amarillo, Texas]]: located near [[Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport]]; assembly plant for H1, V-22<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bell Helicopter Expands Amarillo Manufacturing|url=https://www.newschannel10.com/story/8823171/bell-helicopter-expands-amarillo-manufacturing|access-date=2020-12-09|website=www.newschannel10.com|date=August 12, 2008 |language=en-US}}</ref> and 525

;Commercial
* [[Mirabel, Quebec]], [[Canada]]: opened in 1983<ref>{{Cite web|last=Canada|first=Employment and Social Development|date=2016-05-19|title=Bell Helicopter Textron Canada relocates assembly program to Quebec|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2016/05/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-relocates-assembly-program-to-quebec.html|access-date=2020-12-09|website=gcnws}}</ref> and located next to [[Montreal-Mirabel International Airport]]; it produces components for Bell 407, 412, 429, 505 and 525; assembly plant and finally assembly for current commercial products (407, 412, 429, 505).

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
* [[Leonardo Helicopters]]
* [[Airbus Helicopters]]
* [[Sikorsky Aircraft]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bell Helicopter Textron|Bell Helicopter}}
*{{Official website|http://www.bellflight.com}}
*[http://www.helis.com/timeline/bell.php Bell timeline at the Helicopter History Site]
*[http://www.educatedearth.net/video.php?id=5148 Video history of Bell Helicopter]
*{{cite web | title=Patents owned by Bell Helicopter Textron | work=US Patent and Trademark Office | url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&p=1&f=S&l=50&Query=an%2F%22Bell+Helicopter+Textron%22&d=ptxt | access-date=December 5, 2005 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220070610/http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&p=1&f=S&l=50&Query=an%2F%22Bell+Helicopter+Textron%22&d=ptxt | url-status=dead }}

{{Bell Aircraft}}
{{Textron}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Helicopter manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Defense companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Helicopter manufacturers of Canada]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Fort Worth, Texas]]
[[Category:Textron]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1935]]
[[Category:1935 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:1960 mergers and acquisitions]]