King Radio was a company started by Ed King, Jr in 1959 in a rural area outside of Kansas City. The company was moved shortly after its formation to a plant in Olathe, Kansas. It was later purchased by Allied Corporation and merged with Bendix Corporation to form Bendix/King.
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King Radio was a manufacturer of general aviation avionics and aviation gauges and indicators. It was a major avionics supplier of Cessna, Piper, and Beechcraft.
The success of King Radio began with the highly popular KY 90 VHF communications radio, known for its clarity and low cost. Over the years King Radio produced many hits such as the KDF 800 Automatic Direction Finder and the KX 155 Navigation/Communication radio. Many of these products can still be found on aircraft flying today.
In 1983, King Radio was acquired by the Allied Corporation, which also purchased Bendix Aviation that same year. The combined company was called Bendix/King. Allied Corporation merged with the Signal Companies in 1985 to form AlliedSignal. That company later merged with Honeywell, and retained the use of the Honeywell name.[1]
The Bendix/King brand has remained popular with aviation enthusiasts, and both AlliedSignal and Honeywell have used the brand on their general aviation products to this day.