Yes there is a huge legacy of aerospace work on Long Island dating back to the 1920's:
Grumman in Bethpage
Republic in Farmingdale
Sperry Gyroscope
Hazeltine in Greenlawn (Now BAE Systems)
The whole property north of Hempstead Turnpike east of Oak St and west of the Meadowbrook Parkway was the former Mitchel Air Force Base 1917-1961. I visited it a few times as a small child in the late 50s. In fact if you know where to look you can still see the original runways (Hofstra univ dorms parking lot and right behind Nassau Community College). My son is a student there now and my wife & I went there in the early '80s. Dad passed thru Mitchel Field on the way home to Brooklyn NY after WW2. A lot of history happened on the Hempstead Plains.....
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jy5oimp4kiey9 ... n.jpg?dl=0From their corporate offices in Bethpage.....
Mitchel Field with runways intact....But decommissioned and the north campus of Hofstra Univ spreading on to the old air base.....
The group of tall buildings in the upper left right near the end of the runways are the 4 residence Hall towers of Hofstra University.....
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjzokmy968lnl ... 8.jpg?dl=0here is a google maps image of the area, in the current time with the old runways superimposed on the map....
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uvw49ci5bi0l6 ... s.jpg?dl=0PS the only thing left of Rebublic Aviation, is one hanger on the north east side of Republic Airport. This is now the American Airpower museum. On memorial day, they have B17s, B24s and other warbirds fly in. Often the B17 flys due north and right over our house. There is something thrilling about hearing 4 Wright Cyclones roaring away a few hundred feet overhead.....