On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.
Gift of the Stanley King Family.
Date: 1927
Dimensions:
3-D Test: 4.8 x 6.7cm (1 7/8 x 2 5/8 in.)
Materials:
Phenolic resin, most likely Catalin, metal
Physical Description:
A resin airplane in the shape of the Spirit of St. Louis. The fuselage is white along with the vertical stabilizer. The propeller, wings and horizontal stabilizers of the tail are black. The airplane is attached to a metal needle that can be used to affix the pin to a shirt or jacket. An American flag is painted on the tail.
