Spirit of St. Louis History
On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight in a modified Ryan M-2 airplane. Called the "Spirit of St. Louis" in honor of supporters from St. Louis, Missouri, this Ryan NYP (New York to Paris route) airplane took Lindbergh across the Atlantic in 33 hours and 30 minutes. In order to carry enough fuel for the 5810 kilometer (3610 mile) trip, Lindbergh flew as both pilot and navigator. Lindbergh won the $25,000 prize that had been offered when the challenge to be the first pilot to cross the Atlantic was issued.
Please send any comments to:
Curator:
Dave Mazza
Responsible Official:
Tom Benson