The Spirit Of St. Louis
By: Mariah Roxbury
Who?
Charles Lindbergh was born on February 4th, 1902. He is part English, French, and Irish. Lindbergh graduated from Little Falls High School in 1918. He then graduated from the University of Wisconsin. After leaving the University he entered a flying school called Nebraska Aircraft Corporation in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lindbergh took his first flight in a standard plane on April 9, 1902.
What?
Before taking on the challenge, Lindbergh flew the Spirit Of St Louis from San Diego to Long Island, New York making only one night stop. With the $15,000, Lindbergh hired Ryan Aeronautical Company in San Diego to build a plane that was 27 feet and 8 inches in length and 9 feet 10 inches in height.
When?
The flight took place on the misty rainy morning of May 20, 1927 at 7:52 a.m. This trip would take him a total of 33 and 1/2 hours. On the eighth hour, He was over Nova Scotia. On the 18th hour, Lindbergh was over the Atlantic Ocean. On the 27th hour he was over France. Lindbergh finally landed on a field outside Paris on May 21, 1927.
Where and Why?
Lindbergh thought about entering the contest during a night air mail flight in 1926. Raymond Orteig had offered $25,000 to "the first aviator of any allied country" to fly in any direction between New York and Paris. The bet would take a total of 33 hours, 29 minutes, and 30 seconds to complete a 3,610 mile trip/flight. Even though Lindbergh was not the first to cross the Atlantic by air, he was the first to cross the Atlantic by air solo. Several people had lost their lives trying to complete this challenge.
Extra Facts about Charles Lindbergh!
Lindbergh had a child on June 22, 1930. His name was Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr. Around 8 p.m. on the night of March 1, 1932, the nurse put the baby to bed. When she went to check on him two hours later he was gone. Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr. was murdered and kidnapped that night in 1932. The ransom of $50,000 was paid but the baby's lifeless body was found near the Lindbergh House. Bruno Richard Hauptman was sentenced to the electric chair for the kidnapping of Baby Lindbergh. This caused the Lindbergh law to be enacted. This law intended to let federal authorities step in and pursue kidnappers once they crossed state line with the victim.