The Spirit of St. Louis

“I was astonished by the effect my successful landing in France had on the nations of the world. It was like a match lighting a bonfire” wrote Charles Lindberg of his 1927 solo, non-stop flight from New York to Paris. Of course, Lindberg’s prize-winning, 33.5 hour, 3,600 mile flight across the Atlantic is the very definition of bravery and endurance, but his Ryan “NYP” monoplane is no less heroic. Built as a one-off aircraft, and funded mostly by supporters in Lindberg’s hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, the Ryan “New York to Paris” was built as light and fuel efficient as possible. One of the most aerodynamic aircraft of its day, the “NYP” utilised a welded steel tube fuselage with wood framed wings. With the exception of the alloy cowling behind the engine, the plane was covered in silver-painted cloth. To accommodate the forward and main fuel tanks, the windshield had to be eliminated. This meant Lindberg had to skew the plane to look out the side windows to see forward during flight. Tall and lanky Lindberg also had to contend with a cramped cockpit so small he couldn’t straighten his legs, and a wicker seat so uncomfortable it kept him awake. A single 9 cylinder, 223 hp, Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine was chosen over multiple engines, as Lindberg felt the single engine would reduce the risk of failure and allow a greater range. Astonishingly, the Spirit of St Louis was constructed in only 60 days, at a cost of $10,580.