Silver colored doped fabric covered high wing single radial engine monoplane. The "Spirit of St. Louis" was designed by Donald Hall under the direct supervision of Charles Lindbergh. It is a highly modified version of a conventional Ryan M-2 strut-braced monoplane, powered by a reliable 223hp Wright J-5C engine. Because the fuel tanks were located ahead of the cockpit for safety in case of an accident, Lindbergh could not see directly ahead, except by using a periscope on the left side or by turning the airplane and looking out a side window. The two tubes beneath the fuselage are flare dispensers that were installed for Lindbergh's flights to Latin America and the Caribbean. Created by National Air and Space Museum Date Created 11/29/2006 Source Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, National Air and Space Museum Cataloged Imagery Collection, NASM Acc. 1999-0070 Keywords Aircraft; Aviation; Aviators; Competition Flight; People; Private; Records & Firsts Rights and Restrictions CC0
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