Changes

[[Image:Spirit of St. Lewis.JPG|thumbnail|right|200px|The Spirit of St. Louis on display in the [[Smithsonian]].]]

[[Image:Spirit of St. Lewis.JPG|thumbnail|right|200px|The Spirit of St. Louis on display in the [[Smithsonian]].]]

The '''Spirit of St. Louis''' is a plane that [[Charles Lindbergh]] used to be the first person to fly solo nonstop across the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. On May 21, 1927, Lindbergh completed the 33 hour flight from [[Long Island]], [[New York]] to [[Paris]], [[France]], in the custom made plane. The $15,000 plane's construction was completed on April 1927.  Aircraft designer Donald Hall, under the supervision of Lindbergh, originally tried to create the plane by modifying the [[Ryan M-2]], however this attempt failed; and they started on a custom made design<ref>http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/GAL100/stlouis.html</ref>.

The '''Spirit of St. Louis''' is a plane that [[Charles Lindbergh]] used to be the first person to fly solo nonstop across the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. On May 21, 1927, Lindbergh completed the 33 hour flight from [[Long Island]], [[New York]] to [[Paris]], [[France]], in the custom made plane. The $15,000 plane's construction was completed on April 1927.  Aircraft designer Donald Hall, under the supervision of Lindbergh, originally tried to create the plane by modifying the [[Ryan M-2]], however this attempt failed; and they started on a custom made design.<ref>http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/GAL100/stlouis.html</ref>  

[[Image:Spirit-stlouis.jpg|thumb|330px|left]]

[[Image:Spirit-stlouis.jpg|thumb|330px|left]]

Using his personal savings and donations from wealthy businessmen, Lindbergh completed the the plane in April of 1927. Herold Bixy, a St. Louis banker and one of the founders of the plane construction named the plane in honor of the support that Lindbergh received from the city. Although Raymond Orteig, a wealthy New York businessman, was offering $25,000 to the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic, Limdbergh, was motivated by the desire to demonstrate aviation's potential<ref>http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref>. On April 30, 1928 the  Spirit of St. Louis was placed on display at the [[Smithsonian]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], where it remains as one of the most visited exhibits.   

Using his personal savings and donations from wealthy businessmen, Lindbergh completed the the plane in April 1927. Herold Bixy, a St. Louis banker and one of the founders of the plane construction named the plane in honor of the support that Lindbergh received from the city. Although Raymond Orteig, a wealthy New York businessman, was offering $25,000 to the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic, Limdbergh, was motivated by the desire to demonstrate aviation's potential.<ref>http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref> On April 30, 1928 the  Spirit of St. Louis was placed on display at the [[Smithsonian]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], where it remains as one of the most visited exhibits.   

==Design==

==Design==

|-

|-

|'''Wingspan'''

|'''Wingspan'''

|14 m (46 ft)

|14&nbsp;m (46&nbsp;ft)

|-

|-

|'''Length'''

|'''Length'''

| 8 m (27 ft 8 in)

| 8 m (27&nbsp;ft 8 in)

|-

|-

|'''Height'''

|'''Height'''

| 9 ft, 10 in

| 9&nbsp;ft, 10 in

|-

|-

|'''Weight, gross'''

|'''Weight, gross'''

|5,135 lb

|5,135&nbsp;lb

|-

|-

|'''Weight, empty'''

|'''Weight, empty'''

|975 kg (2,150 lb)

|975&nbsp;kg (2,150&nbsp;lb)

|-

|-

|'''Engine'''

|'''Engine'''

|Wright Whirlwind J-5C, 223hp

|Wright Whirlwind J-5C, 223&nbsp;hp

|-

|-

|'''Manufacturer'''

|'''Manufacturer'''

==Facts==

==Facts==

*Weeks before the Spirit of St. Louis' flight, French pilots Charles Nungesser and navigator Francois Coli left Paris for New York in a single-engine biplane. Both of the pilots went missing after takeoff.<ref> http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref>  

*Weeks before the Spirit of St. Louis' flight, French pilots Charles Nungesser and navigator Francois Coli left Paris for New York in a single-engine biplane. Both of the pilots went missing after takeoff.<ref>http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref>  

*The crowd that met Lindbergh in Paris consisted of 150,000 people.  

*The crowd that met Lindbergh in Paris consisted of 150,000 people.  

*Before Lindbergh's flight, four pilots had tried to cross the Atlantic non-stop. <ref>http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref>  

*Before Lindbergh's flight, four pilots had tried to cross the Atlantic non-stop.<ref>http://www.charleslindbergh.com/hall/spirit.asp</ref>  

==References==

==References==

<references/>

<references/>

[[Category:Aircraft]]

[[Category:Aircraft]]