21 May 1927: Charles Lindbergh Accomplishes First Nonstop Transatlantic Flight

Om 21 May 1927, American pilot Charles A. Lindbergh lands at Le Bourget Field in Paris,

successfully completing the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight, and the first-ever nonstop flight between New York and Paris.

His single-engine monoplane, The Spirit of St. Louis, had lifted off from Roosevelt Field in New York 33.5 hours before.

In May of 1919, the first transatlantic flight was made by a United States hydroplane that flew from New York to Plymouth, England, via Newfoundland, the Azores Islands, and Lisbon, Portugal. Later that month, Frenchman Raymond Orteig,

an owner of hotels in New York, put up a purse of $25,000 to the first aviator or aviators to fly nonstop from Paris to New York or New York to Paris.

In June of 1919, the British fliers John W. Alcock and Arthur W. Brown made the first nonstop transatlantic flight, flying 1,960 miles from Newfoundland to Ireland. The flight from New York to Paris would be nearly twice that distance.

Orteig said his challenge would be good for five years. In 1926, with no one having attempted the flight, Orteig made the offer again. By this time, aircraft technology had advanced to a point where a few thought such a flight might be possible. Several of the world’s top aviators, including American polar explorer Richard Byrd

and French flying ace Rene Fonck, decided to accept the challenge,

and so did Charles Lindbergh.

Lindbergh convinced the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce to sponsor the flight, and a budget of $15,000 was set. The Ryan Airlines Corporation of San Diego volunteered to build a single-engine aircraft to his specifications.

Extra fuel tanks were added, and the wing span was increased to 46 feet to accommodate the additional weight. The main fuel tank was placed in front of the cockpit because it would be safest there in the event of a crash. This meant Lindbergh would have no forward vision, so a periscope was added. To reduce weight, everything that was not utterly essential was left out. There would be no radio, gas gauge, night-flying lights, navigation equipment, or parachute. Lindbergh would sit in a light seat made of wicker. Unlike other aviators attempting the flight, Lindbergh would be alone, with no navigator or co-pilot.

The aircraft was christened The Spirit of St. Louis, and on 12 May 1927, Lindbergh flew The Spirit of St. Louis from San Diego to New York, setting a new record for the fastest transcontinental flight to date.

Bad weather delayed Lindbergh’s scheduled transatlantic attempt for a week. On the night of 19 May 1927, nerves and a newspaperman’s noisy poker game kept him up all night. Early the next morning, 20 May 1927, though he had not slept, the skies were clear and he rushed to Roosevelt Field on Long Island.

It is a virtual certainty that Lindbergh was acutely aware that six men had died in previous attempts to accomplish the long and dangerous flight that he was about to undertake.

At 0752 hours EST on 20 May 1927, The Spirit of St. Louis lifted off from Roosevelt Field, so loaded with fuel that it barely cleared the telephone wires at the end of the runway.

Lindbergh traveled northeast up the coast. After only four hours, he felt tired and flew within ten feet of the water to keep his mind clear. As night fell on 20 May 1927, the aircraft left the coast of Newfoundland and set off across the Atlantic. At about 0200 hours EST on 21 May 1927, Lindbergh passed the halfway mark, and an hour later dawn came. Soon after, The Spirit of St. Louis entered a fog, and Lindbergh struggled to stay awake, holding his eyelids open with his fingers and hallucinating that ghosts were passing through the cockpit.

After 24 hours in the air, Lindbergh felt a little more awake, and he spotted fishing boats in the water. At about 1100 hours EST (1500 hours local time) on 21 May 1927, Lindbergh saw the coast of Ireland. Despite using only rudimentary navigation, he was two hours ahead of schedule, and only three miles off course! He flew past England and, by 1500 hours EST, was flying over France. It was 2000 hours in France, and night was falling.

At the Le Bourget Aerodrome in Paris, tens of thousands of Saturday night revelers had gathered to await Lindbergh’s arrival.

At 2224 hours local time on 21 May 1927, Lindbergh's gray and white monoplane made a perfect landing in the air field. The crowd surged on The Spirit of St. Louis, and Lindbergh, weary from his 33.5-hour, 3,600-mile journey, was cheered and lifted above their heads. He hadn’t slept for 55 hours. Two French aviators saved Lindbergh from the boisterous crowd, whisking him away in an automobile. He was an immediate international celebrity.

President Calvin Coolidge dispatched a warship to bring the hero home to the States,

and “Lucky Lindy” was given a ticker-tape parade in New York City

and presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Seemed like the good fortunes that kept on coming Lindbergh's way would never end.

On 16 June 1927, Frenchman Raymond Orteig kept his promise made in 1919 and presented Charles Lindbergh a check for $25,000.00 for his successful solo, transatlantic flight from New York City to Paris.

Lindbergh was also named as Time Magazine "Man of the Year" for 1927.

Lindbergh's place in history, however, was not complete. and his good fortunes were about to take a dramatic turn for the worse.

In 1932, he was the subject of international headlines again when his infant son, Charles Jr., was kidnapped,

unsuccessfully ransomed,

and then found murdered in the woods near the Lindbergh home.

German-born Bruno Richard Hauptmann was convicted of the crime in a controversial trial,

and then executed.

Then, in the late 1930s and early 1940s, Lindbergh became a spokesperson of sorts for the U.S. isolationism movement, and was sharply criticized for his apparent Nazi sympathies and anti-Semitic views.

To wit, Germany had awarded him their Service Cross of the German Eagle medal in October of 1938.

After the outbreak of World War II, the fallen hero traveled to the Pacific as a military observer and eventually flew more than two dozen combat missions, including one in which he downed a Japanese aircraft.

Lindbergh’s war-time service largely restored American public faith in him, and for many years later he worked with the U.S. government on aviation issues.

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve.

Lindbergh died in Hawaii om 26 August 1974.

SOURCES: www.wikipedia.org ; www.britannica.com ; www.encyclopedia.com ; www.history.com ; www.thisdayinaviation.com ; www.charleslindbergh.com ; www.lindbergh106.weebly.com ; www.google.com ; www.bing.com ; www.gettyimages.com ; www.alamy.com