UNITED STATES 2/28/97
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 (AMENDMENT NO. )*
INITIAL FILING
TEXTRON, INC.
 (NAME OF ISSUER)

COMMON
 (TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES)

883203101
(CUSIP NUMBER)
CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX IF A FEE IS BEING PAID WITH THIS STATEMENT.____(A FEE IS NOT REQUIRED ONLY IF THE FILING PERSON: (1) HAS A PREVIOUS STATEMENT ON FILE REPORTING BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE CLASS OF SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN ITEM 1; AND (2) HAS FILED NO AMENDMENT SUBSEQUENT THERETO REPORTING BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF SUCH CLASS.) (SEE
RULE 13D-7).
*THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL BE FILLED OUT FOR A REPORTING PERSON'S INITIAL FILING ON THIS FORM WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT CLASS OF SECURITIES, AND FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION WHICH WOULD ALTER THE DISCLOSURES PROVIDED IN A PRIOR COVER PAGE.
THE INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE "FILED" FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 18 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ("ACT") OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE LIABILITIES OF THAT SECTION OF THE ACT BUT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE ACT (HOWEVER, SEE THE NOTES).

CUSIP NO. 883203101          13G       PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES

1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
    STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE     04-1867445
    TEXTRON SAVINGS PLAN

2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE                                   A __
                                                     B __
3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    0 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
    12,574,616 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    0  SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    12,574,616 SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    12,574,616 SHARES
10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
     SHARES*
     NOT APPLICABLE
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
     15.2%
12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*	

CUSIP NO. 883203101          13G       PAGE 2A OF 5 PAGES

1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
    STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE     04-1867445
    OR DISCRETIONARY ADVISOR VARIOUS COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS FOR
    EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS AND OTHER INDEX ACCOUNTS    TEXTRON, INC.

2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE                                   A __
                                                     B __
3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    698,755 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
    0 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    873,755 SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    0  SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    873,755 SHARES
10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
     SHARES*
     NOT APPLICABLE
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
     1.1%
12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*	

CUSIP NO. 883203101          13G       PAGE 2B OF 5 PAGES

1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
    STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE/CO-TRUSTEE   04-1867445
    VARIOUS TRUST ACCOUNTS                   TEXTRON, INC.
2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE                                   A __
                                                     B __
3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    8,804 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
    7,758 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    7,204 SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    9,358 SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    16,562 SHARES
10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
     SHARES*
     NOT APPLICABLE
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
     0.0%
12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*	

SCHEDULE 13G PAGE 3 OF 5 PAGES
ITEM 1.
 (A) NAME OF ISSUER
TEXTRON, INC.
(B) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES
40 WESTMINSTER STREET
PROVIDENCE, RI 02903
ITEM 2.
(A) NAME OF PERSON FILING
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE
(B) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, 
RESIDENCE
225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MA 02110
(C) CITIZENSHIP
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
(D) TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES
COMMON
(E) CUSIP NUMBER
883203101
ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B), OR 13D-2(B), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:
(B) _X_ BANK AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(A)(6) OF THE ACT

PAGE 4 of 5 PAGES
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP
 (A) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
13,464,933 SHARES
 (B) PERCENT OF CLASS
16.3%
(C) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS:
(I) SOLE POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE 707,559 SHARES
(II) SHARED POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE 12,582,374 SHARES
(III) SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF 880,959 SHARES
(IV) SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF 12,583,974 SHARES
ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS
NOT APPLICABLE
ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
NOT APPLICABLE
ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY
NOT APPLICABLE
ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
NOT APPLICABLE
ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP
NOT APPLICABLE

PAGE 5 OF 5 PAGES
ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION
THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION SHALL BE INCLUDED IF THE
STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B):
BY SIGNING BELOW I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO ABOVE WERE ACQUIRED IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF AND DO NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING OR INFLUENCING THE CONTROL OF THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH OR AS A PARTICIPANT IN ANY TRANSACTION HAVING SUCH PURPOSES OR EFFECT.
THIS REPORT IS NOT AN ADMISSION THAT STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY IS THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF ANY SECURITIES COVERED BY THIS REPORT, AND STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF ALL SHARES REPORTED HEREIN PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-4.
SIGNATURE
AFTER REASONABLE INQUIRY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND CORRECT.
10 MARCH 1997
STATE STREET BOSTON CORPORATION
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
TRUSTEE

/s/ JANET DENNEEN
SENIOR COMPLIANCE OFFICER