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26

GROVER E. BELL

Pioneer Martin Aviator

Grover E. Bell was born at Mentone, Indiana, October 23, 1884.  He was the late brother of Larry Bell, who was later the founder and president of Bell Aircraft Corporation.  Information is lacking concerning Grover's early life, education and first occupations.  During the early 1900's the Bell family moved from Indiana to Santa Monica, California.  There, during the 1910-1911 era, Bell became interested in aviation and decided he wanted to get into the "flying game".

As a result, he became a student of Glenn Martin's first flying school when it opened in the fall of 1912.  He purchased a Martin biplane powered by an 8-cylinder Hall-Scott engine.  Martin advertised free instruction with each purchase of a new plane, and Glenn Martin himself was the instructor at that time.  By November 1st Bell was flying every day, using his own plane to practice circles, glides, and landings at Martin's Griffith Park flying field.  During this period Bell's younger brother Larry was his mechanic.

That fall Martin established a Hydro Station at Newport Bay and erected a hangar and launching ramp.  He was building float machines and about November 15th his Hydro School was started.  On November 25th, Martin gave Bell his first hydro lesson.  Bell was already an advanced landplane student and he enrolled in the hydro course to master this branch of flying also.  After two check flights with Martin, the plane was turned over to Bell.  Martin went along as a passenger then cleared Bell to solo.  For a time, during late November, the Martin land school was at Dominguez Field.  On Christmas Day, Bell flew from Griffith Field to his home in Santa Monica, 25 miles in thirty-five minutes, then flew back to Dominguez on the 28th.  The next day he flew his tests for a pilot license using his own plane, with Prof. H.I. Twining as his official observer.

Bell received F.A.I. Certificate No. 201 on January 8, 1913.  January 11th and 12th he flew over Santa Monica taking photos from the air.  January 29th to