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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.

Display Status

This object is on display in Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.

Boeing Aviation Hangar

Object Details

Type

MEMORABILIA-Popular Culture

Manufacturer

Wright Aeronautical Corp.

Physical Description

A metal airplane with a round base. The airplane has a fixed propeller and wheels. The features of the plane such as the windows and ailerons are molded into the metal as is the text "Spirit of St. Louis" on the nose. The bottom of the model has two holes located in the middle of the fuselage where the struts meet the body. The base has a corresponding metal pin attached to two arms that extend up from the base. The base is circular with a convex surface and green felt on the bottom of the base. An image of the North Atlantic with New York on the left and Paris on the right has text in between the two land masses "Commemorating flight by Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh New York to Paris May 20-21 1927"

Dimensions

3-D: 10.2 x 11.4 x 13.3 x 19.7cm, 0.9kg (4 x 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in., 2lb.)

Materials

Metal and fabric

Inventory Number

A20040290037

Credit Line

Gift of the Stanley King Family.

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
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