Charles Lindbergh Ryan B-5 Brougham

Additional Information:

The Ryan B-5 Brougham was a small single-engine aircraft produced in the United States from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. The design was influenced by the Ryan M-1 mail plane first produced in 1926. The Brougham was too a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane of with a conventional design. But unlike the M-1, the Brougham had a fully enclosed cabin and carried the pilot and four passengers. The Spirit of St. Louis, was a modified version of the “Brougham”.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator and military officer. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance of 3,600 miles, flying alone for 33.5 hours. His aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis, was designed and built by the Ryan Airline Company specifically to compete for the Orteig Prize for the first flight between the two cities. Although Lindbergh’s flight was not the first transatlantic flight, it was the first solo transatlantic flight and the longest at the time by nearly 2,000 miles. This event became known as one of the most important flights in aviation history and was the catalyst for a new era of air transportation around the world.

Lindbergh’s achievement generated significant global interest in both commercial aviation and air mail. He basically revolutionized aviation worldwide and as a result he spent much his time promoting this fledgling industry.

Charles Lindbergh made an initial rough survey of the proposed cross country routes for Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) using the Ryan B-5 Brougham aircraft, NX4215, in 1928. This route went through Albuquerque, New Mexico. This eventual TWA airline was called the “Lindbergh Line” throughout the 1930’s.

Below, along with photos of the aircraft, is a letter written by Charles Lindbergh to Mr. Harry Davidson, founder of Cavalcade of Wings, confirming the use of this plane and some of the aircrafts design characteristics.

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