Reuben Fleet founded his company in 1923, and in 1924 opened a new plant in Buffalo to build the naval trainer, NY-1; his company was the beginning of Buffalo's dominance in the aviation industry during the 30's and 40's. Another aviation giant, Curtiss Wright would set up shop in Buffalo in 1929, building a variety of aircraft over the years with the P-40 as perhaps it's most memorable at it's Buffalo plants. (a second plant that was built during the war at Niagara airport is now a parking lot). A third giant, Larry Bell worked for Consolidated as general manager, and when that company moved to San Diego in 1935 to build flying boats (nicer weather and no ice!), Bell stayed behind to start his own company, Bell Aircraft. Eventually, he would open his own plant in Wheatfield at the Niagara airport. Not much remains of Mr Fleet's plant, now used as a storage warehouse for car tires with much of the original structure torn down for redevelopment.