General
Dynamics was formed in 1952 with the purchase by the Electric
Boat Company of Convair and Canadair.
The only two aircraft known exclusively as General
Dynamics products are the F-111 Aardvark of 1964 and the F-16
Fighting Falcon of 1974. After these two aircraft, the company
began selling its aviation assets.
Canadair was sold to the Canadian Government in
1976.
Cessna was purchased in 1985 and then
sold to Textron in 1992.
In 1993, the Fort Worth Division was sold to Martin
Aircraft effectively getting General Dynamics out of the
airframe business. The company focused on its Combat Systems,
Information Systems and Marine Systems divisions.
General Dynamics re-entered the aerospace business
with the acquisition of Gulfstream in 1999.
