Front:
NX-211
RVAN
NVP
Louis
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10
ASIS
RYAN SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Without question, the most important record flight in aviation history took place
in 1927, when Charles Lindbergh, a 24-year-old air mail pilot, flew non-stop from
New York to Paris. Many had sought, without success, the $25,000 prize for such a
flight offered by a wealthy Frenchman in 1919. Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis
was a specially built Ryan monoplane crammed with fuel tanks holding 430
gallons of gasoline and powered by a 220-horsepower Wright Whirlwind radial
engine. His 3,600-mile flight took 3372 hours; one of the most difficult tasks was
simply staying awake. For twelve hours, while Lindbergh was far out over the
Atlantic, there was no news of him (he had removed his radio to save weight), and
the suspense was terrific. Finally he was sighted over the coast of Ireland, and
ten hours later he touched down at Paris. The world went wild over the "Lone
Eagle’s” epic flight.
CULVER PICTURES
