AS FILLED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1997
                                                  REGISTRATION NO. 333-

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ----------------------
                                   FORM  S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                       UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ----------------------

                              HEXCEL CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                DELAWARE                              94-1109521
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of              (I.R.S.Employer     
     Incorporation or Organization)               Identification No.)

                            ----------------------
                              TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
                             281 TRESSER BOULEVARD
                          STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06901
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
                         ____________________________

               HEXCEL CORPORATION MANAGEMENT STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
                         ---------------------------

                             IRA J. KRAKOWER, ESQ.
                              HEXCEL CORPORATION
             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                              TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
                             281 TRESSER BOULEVARD
                          STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06901
                                (203) 969-0666
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
     COPIES TO:               JOSEPH A. COCO, ESQ.
                  SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP
                               919 THIRD AVENUE
                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
                                (212) 735-3000
                          ------------------------

                      CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Title of      Amount to     Proposed   Proposed        Amount
       Securities to       be         Maximum     Maximum          of
       be Registered    Registered    Offering   Aggregate    Registration
                         (1)(3)      Price per    Offering        Fee
                                     Share(2)     Price(2)   
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Common Stock,     150,000       $22.80   $3,420,000.00    $1,036.36
      par value $0.01   shares      
      per share

          (1)  This registration statement (this " Registration
               Statement") covers shares of Common Stock of Hexcel
               Corporation (the Registrant") which may be  offered or
               sold from time to time pursuant to the Hexcel
               Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (the 'Plan")

          (2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the
               registration fee.  The aggregate offering price has
               been computed pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h)
               promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
               amended (the "Securities Act"), on the basis of the
               average of the high and low sale prices of the
               Registrant's Common Stock as reported on the New York
               Stock Exchange Composite Tape on September 19, 1997,
               within five business days prior to filing.  Common
               Stock will be issued under the Plan at eighty percent
               (80%) of the average of such high and low prices on the
               date of each sale of Common Stock under the Plan.

          (3)  Pursuant to Rule 416, this Registration Statement also
               covers such indeterminable number of additional shares
               of the Registrant's Common Stock as may be issuable
               pursuant to the antidilution provisions of the Plan.


                                    PART I
             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

     ITEM 1.   PLAN INFORMATION.

               Not required to be filed with this Registration
     Statement.

     ITEM 2.   REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL
               INFORMATION.

               Not required to be filed with this Registration
     Statement.

                                    PART II
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

               The following documents, which have been filed by the
     Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
     "Commission"), are incorporated by reference in this Registration
     Statement as of their respective dates:

               (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                    the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996.

               (b)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
                    the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1997.

               (c)  The Registrant's proxy statement dated April 21,
                    1997 relating to the Registrant's Annual Meeting
                    of Stockholders held on May 22, 1997 (the "Proxy
                    Statement").

               (d)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
                    the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1997.

               (e)  The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
                    April 29, 1997.

               (f)  The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
                    July 15, 1997.

               (g)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock
                    contained in the Registrant's Registration
                    Statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common
                    Stock, including any amendment or report filed for
                    the purpose of updating such description.

               All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant
     pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior to
     the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
     securities registered have been sold or which deregisters all
     securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
     incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to
     be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any
     statement incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
     modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration
     Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in
     any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed
     to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes
     such statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded
     shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to
     constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

     ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

               Not applicable.

     ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

               Not applicable.

     ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

               Set forth below is a description of certain provisions
     of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
     "GCL"), the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant, the
     By-laws of the Registrant, Strategic Alliance Agreement dated as
     of September 29, 1995 and amended as of December 12, 1995, among
     Ciba-Geigy Limited, Ciba-Geigy Corporation and the Registrant
     (the "Strategic Alliance Agreement"), and the Plan, as such
     provisions relate to the indemnification of the directors and
     officers of the Registrant.  This description is intended only as
     a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
     applicable provisions of the GCL, the Certificate of
     Incorporation of the Registrant, the Bylaws of the Registrant,
     the Strategic Alliance Agreement and the Plan, which are
     incorporated herein by reference.

               The Registrant is a Delaware corporation.  Section 145
     of the GCL provides that a corporation may indemnify any person
     who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
     threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
     whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other
     than an action by or in the right of such corporation) by reason
     of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer,
     employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at its
     request in such capacity at another corporation or business
     organization, against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
     judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
     reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such
     action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and
     in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not
     opposed to the best interest of the corporation, and, with
     respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable
     cause to believe that such person's conduct was unlawful.  A
     Delaware corporation may indemnify officers and directors in an
     action by or in the right of the corporation under the same
     conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without
     judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be
     liable to the corporation.  Where an officer or director is
     successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any
     action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify against
     the expenses that such officer or director actually and
     reasonably incurred.

               Section 102(b)(7) of the GCL permits a corporation to
     provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of a
     corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or
     its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
     duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of
     the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
     stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or
     which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of
     law, (iii) under Section 174 of the GCL (Liability of Directors
     for Unlawful Payment of Dividend or Unlawful Stock Purchase or
     Redemption) or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
     derived an improper personal benefit.

               The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation provides
     for the elimination of personal liability of a director for
     breach of fiduciary duty, to the full extent permitted by the
     GCL.  The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation also provides
     that the Registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers to
     the full extent permitted by the GCL; provided, however, that the
     Registrant shall indemnify any such person seeking
     indemnification in connection with a proceeding initiated by such
     person only if such proceeding was authorized by the Board of
     Directors of the Registrant.

                The Strategic Alliance Agreement provides that the
     Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws will
     continue to contain the provisions with respect to
     indemnification of directors and officers as of the date of the
     Strategic Alliance Agreement, which provisions will not be
     amended, repealed or otherwise modified, for a period of six
     years following the Closing contemplated by the Strategic
     Alliance Agreement (the "Closing") in any manner that would
     adversely affect the rights of individuals who at any time prior
     to the Closing were directors or officers of the Registrant in
     respect of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the
     Closing, except for such modifications as are required by
     applicable law.  In addition, the Strategic Alliance Agreement
     generally requires the Registrant to indemnify its officers and
     directors as of the date of the Strategic Alliance Agreement
     against all losses (including reasonable fees and expenses of
     counsel) arising out of any claim based in whole or in part on
     the fact that such person was a director or officer of the
     Registrant at or prior to the Closing.

                The Registrant maintains, at its expense, an insurance
     policy which insures the directors and officers of the
     Registrant, subject to certain exclusions and deductions, against
     certain liabilities that they may incur in their capacity as
     such.  The Strategic Alliance Agreement provides that for six
     years after the Closing, the Registrant is generally required to
     provide directors' and officers' liability insurance for its
     officers and directors as of the date of the Strategic Alliance
     Agreement.

               Pursuant to the Plan, no member of the "Committee" (as
     defined therein) shall be liable for any action or determination
     made in good faith, and the members of such committee shall be
     entitled to indemnification in the manner provided in the
     Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation.

     ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

               Not applicable.


     ITEM 8.        EXHIBITS.

               4.1  Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                    Registrant dated June 3, 1996 (filed as Exhibit 1
                    to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                    8-A dated July 9, 1996 and incorporated herein by
                    reference).

               4.2  Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant
                    dated May 23, 1996 (filed as Exhibit 2 to the
                    Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
                    dated July 9, 1996 and incorporated herein by
                    reference).

               4.3  Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan
                    (filed as Annex B to the Registrant's Proxy
                    Statement and incorporated herein by reference).

               5.1  Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
                    LLP regarding legality of Common Stock covered by
                    this Registration Statement.

               23.1 Consent of independent auditors.

               23.2 Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
                    LLP (included in Exhibit 5. 1).

               24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page
                    of this Registration Statement).

               99.1 Strategic Alliance Agreement dated as of September
                    29, 1995 among Hexcel Corporation, Ciba-Geigy
                    Limited and Ciba-Geigy Corporation (incorporated
                    herein by reference to Exhibit 10.F to the
                    Registrant's current report on Form 8-K dated as
                    of October 13, 1995.

     ITEM 9.        UNDERTAKINGS.

               (a)  The Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To  file, during any period in which offers or
               sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
               this Registration Statement;

                    (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section
                    10(a) (3) of the Securities Act;

                    (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
                    events arising after the effective date of this
                    Registration Statement (or the most recent post-
                    effective amendment thereof) which, individually
                    or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                    change in the information set forth in this
                    Registration Statement.  Notwithstanding the
                    foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
                    the securities offered (if the total dollar value
                    of securities offered would not exceed that which
                    was registered) and any deviation from the low or
                    high and of the estimated maximum offering range
                    may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
                    by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
                    the Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the
                    changes in volume and price represent no more than
                    20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
                    offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
                    Registration Fee" table in this Registration
                    Statement;

                    (iii)  To include any material information with
                    respect to the plan of distribution not previously
                    disclosed in this Registration Statement or any
                    material change to such information in this
                    Registration Statement;

               provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and
               (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information
               required to be included in a post-effective amendment
               by those subparagraphs is contained in periodic reports
               filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
               Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated
               by reference in this Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability
               under the Securities Act, each such post-effective
               amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
               statement relating to the securities offered therein,
               and the offering of such securities at that time shall
               be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

               (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-
               effective amendment any of the securities being
               registered which remain unsold at the termination of
               the offering.

          (b)   The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
     determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing
     of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
     15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in
     this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new
     registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
     be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
     under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers
     and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
     foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been
     advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
     indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
     Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
     that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
     than the payment  by the undersigned Registrant of expenses
     incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of
     the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
     proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
     person in connection with the securities being registered, the
     Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
     has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
     appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
     indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
     the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
     of such issue.


                                  SIGNATURES

               Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the
     Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
     that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and
     has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
     behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City
     of Stamford, State of Connecticut, on the 22nd day of September,
     1997.

                                        HEXCEL CORPORATION
                                        (Registrant)

                                        By:  /s/ IRA J. KRAKOWER      
                                             Ira  J. Krakower
                                             Senior Vice President,
                                             General Counsel and Secretary

               KNOWN TO ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each
     person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Ira
     J. Krakower, his attorney-in-fact, with the power of
     substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any
     amendments to this registration statement (including post-
     effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits
     thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
     Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and
     confirming all that each of said attorney-in-fact, or his
     substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue
     hereof.

               Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act,
     this Registration Statement has been signed below by the
     following persons in all capacities and on the dates indicated.

     Signature                    Title                           Date        

     /s/ JOHN J. LEE             President; Chief Executive  September 22, 1997
     __________________________    Officer; Director
     John J. Lee


     /s/ STEPHEN C. FORSYTH      Senior Vice President,      September 22, 1997
     __________________________    Finance and Adminis-
     Stephen C. Forsyth            tration; Chief 
                                   Financial Officer


     /s/ WAYNE C. PENSKY         Controller and Principal    September 22, 1997
     __________________________    Accounting Officer 
     Wayne C. Pensky      


     /s/ JOHN M.D. CHEESMOND     Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     John M.D. Cheesmond


     __________________________  Director
     Marshall S.  Geller 


     /s/ JUERGEN HABERMEIER      Director                    September 14, 1997
     __________________________
     Juergen Habermeier


     /s/ STANLEY SHERMAN         Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     Stanley Sherman


     /s/ MARTIN L. SOLOMON       Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     Martin L. Solomon

     /s/ DR. GEORGE S. SPRINGER  Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     Dr. George S. Springer


     /s/ JOSEPH T. SULLIVAN      Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     Joseph T.  Sullivan


     __________________________  Director
     Hermann Vodicka


     /s/ FRANKLIN S. WIMER       Director                    September 22, 1997
     __________________________
     Franklin  S.  Wimer



                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

     Exhibit

     4.1                    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
                            the Registrant dated June 3, 1996 (filed as
                            Exhibit 1 to the Registrant's Registration
                            Statement on Form 8-A dated July 9, 1996
                            and incorporated herein by reference).

     4.2                    Amended and Restated By-laws of the
                            Registrant dated May 23, 1996 (filed as
                            Exhibit 2 to the Registrant's Registration
                            Statement on Form 8-A dated July 9, 1996
                            and incorporated herein by reference).

     4.3                    Hexcel Corporation Management Stock
                            Purchase Plan (filed as Annex B to the
                            Registrant's Proxy Statement and
                            incorporated herein by reference).

     5.1                    Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
                            Flom LLP regarding legality of Common Stock
                            covered by this Registration Statement.

     23.1                   Consent of independent auditors.

     23.3                   Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
                            Flom LLP (included in Exhibit 5. 1).

     24.1                   Power of Attorney (included on the
                            signature page of this Registration
                            Statement).

     99.1                   Strategic Alliance Agreement dated as of
                            September 29, 1995 among Hexcel
                            Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Limited and Ciba-
                            Geigy Corporation (incorporated herein by
                            reference to Exhibit 10.F to the
                            Registrant's current report on Form 8-K
                            dated as of October 13, 1995).