What was the name of Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic airplane?

Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic airplane was the Spirit of St. Louis. Officially designated the Ryan NYP, it was a custom-built, single-engine monoplane designed for Lindbergh’s attempt to win the Orteig Prize for a nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

Built by Ryan Airlines in San Diego under designer Donald A. Hall, the aircraft was completed in about 60 days in 1927. Lindbergh departed Long Island on May 20 and reached Paris roughly 33 hours and 30 minutes later, covering about 3,600 miles.

The airplane carried an unusually large fuel load, leaving little room for a conventional forward windshield; Lindbergh used side windows and instruments to navigate. Its famous name honored the St. Louis businessmen who helped finance the flight.

The Spirit of St. Louis is often confused with the Wright Flyer, which made the Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1903. The Spirit was preserved and now hangs in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.