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Bell Helicopter, a major player in the helicopter industry and owned by Textron Corporation, has produced several commercial helicopters over the years. Founded as Bell Aircraft Corporation in July 1935 by Lawrence Dale Bell in Buffalo, New York, the company initially focused on fighter aircraft production. However, a significant shift occurred in the 1940s when Arthur M. Young, a helicopter expert, was hired. This led to the creation of the Bell 30 and Bell 47 helicopters.
The Bell 47 became notable for being the first certified civilian-use helicopter worldwide. Introduced in 1946 and based on Young's design of the Bell 30, over 5,500 variants were produced until 1974. "The most-produced variant of the Bell 47 is the 47G," noted Airwolfhound from Wikimedia Commons.
In 1960, Textron acquired Bell Helicopter. The company became its largest business segment after successes like the UH-1 Huey during the Vietnam War. Although renowned for military helicopters such as the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft, Bell Helicopter has also made its mark with commercial models.
