Spirit of St. Louis
Early in 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh obtained the financial backing of businessmen from St. Louis in order to compete for the prize for the first flight between New York and Paris. He placed an order with Ryan for an aircraft capable of the flight. The aircraft required a large fuel tank between engine and pilot that eliminated all forward visibility. On the rainy morning of May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off, from Roosevelt Field, heading for Paris. After flying 3610 miles in 33 hours 30 minutes, he landed at LeBourget Airport. The Cradle of Aviation Museum's aircraft was built by Ryan as a Brougham—a modification of the Spirit of St. Louis that was sold commercially. It is one of two surviving original "sister ships" of the Spirit of St. Louis. This aircraft was used in the 1955 movie The Spirit of St. Louis and was once flown by Lindbergh.
The Spirit of St. Louis is a wonderful plane. It’s like a living creature, gliding along smoothly, happily, as though a successful flight means as much to it as to me, as though we shared our experiences together, each feeling beauty, life, and death as keenly, each dependent on the other’s loyalty. We have made this flight across the ocean, not I or it.
- Charles Lindbergh, 1927
Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis
San Diego, CA 1928
Specifications:
Wingspan: 46’
Length: 27’5"
Engine: 220 hp Wright J-5C Whirlwind
Top Speed: 130 mph
Weight: 2150 lbs
On Loan: Friends for Long Island’s Heritage
