Spirit of St. Louis

Spirit of St. Louis
Country	USA
Role	Long-range aircraft
First flight	April 28, 1927
Built	1

The Spirit of St. Louis (formally the Ryan NYP, registration: N-X-211) is the custom-built, single-engine, single-seat, high-wing monoplane that Charles Lindbergh flew on May 20–21, 1927, on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France, for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize

Source: Spirit of St. Louis on Wikipedia

Ryan NYP “Spirit of St. Louis” Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Evergreen Air & Space Museum
Photos	33

Ryan NYP ‘Spirit of St. Louis’

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Ryan NYP ‘Sprit of St. Louis’ 03

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Ryan NYP ‘Sprit of St. Louis’ 08

Ryan NYP ‘Sprit of St. Louis’ 09

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General Characteristics

The Ryan NYP (New York-Paris) was a highly modified, custom-built aircraft created by Ryan Airlines under the supervision of Charles A. Lindbergh. It achieved legendary status by completing the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris on May 20–21, 1927, securing the $25,000 Orteig Prize.

Property	Value (N-X-211)
Role	Long-Range Record Aircraft
Manufacturer	Ryan Airlines Company (San Diego)
Designer	Donald A. Hall (in collaboration with Lindbergh)
First Flight	April 28, 1927
Crew	1 pilot (Single-seat configuration)
Wingspan	14.02 m (46 ft 0 in)
Max Takeoff Weight (Overloaded)	2,381 kg (5,250 lb)
Empty Weight	975 kg (2,150 lb)

Design and Powerplant

Engine: One Wright Whirlwind J-5C 9-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine.
Power Output: 166 kW (223 hp). The reliability of this single engine was a key factor in Lindbergh’s design choice over heavier multi-engine planes.
Fuel Capacity: 1,703 L (450 US gallons) stored in five tanks (three in the wing, two in the fuselage).
Construction: Fabric over a welded steel tube fuselage and fabric over a wood-framed wing.
Design Origin: Loosely based on the standard Ryan M-2 mailplane, but extensively redesigned with a 10-foot longer wingspan and strengthened structure to handle the extreme fuel load.

Safety and Cockpit Features

Forward Visibility: The main fuel tank was placed directly in front of the pilot to improve the center of gravity and, critically, to protect Lindbergh from being crushed by the engine and tank in a crash landing. This meant there was no front windshield.
Pilot View: Lindbergh navigated by looking out the side windows or using a small, reflective periscope mounted on the left side of the cockpit.
Instruments: The plane was stripped of non-essential equipment (like a radio) to save weight, but included a Sperry artificial horizon, an earth inductor compass, and an econometer for precise fuel management.
Range: Maximum range was estimated at over 6,600 km (4,100 miles). Lindbergh’s flight covered approximately 5,800 km in 33.5 hours.
Current Status: The original Spirit of St. Louis (Registration: N-X-211) is permanently preserved and displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.