G & A Aircraft designed the Model 45 series of rotor-craft for the U.S. Army who designated them XR-9, -9A & -9B. These were unsuccessful but the Firestone Rubber Company bought G & A in 1943 with the intention of producing a civil version. This resulted in the Firestone Aircraft Company Model 45D shown here. It was demonstrated at the 1946 Cleveland National Races but the hoped for orders did not materialize.

'Inaugurating helicopter shuttle service for air mail between the New York airport and the 23rd Street Skyport Marina on the east side of Manhattan.' The chopper is the sole example of the GA-45D by G&A. Formerly Pitcairn Aircraft, this was a subsidiary of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, but by the time of this photo it had been renamed Firestone Aircraft.

The civil variant of the G & A XR-9, with side-by-side seats. The sole example has a manufacture date of 15-Mar-1946 and was shown at the National Aircraft Show in Cleveland in November 1946, by then sporting Firestone titles as G & A had become Firestone Aircraft. Photo from: Vertical Flight Society