Lindbergh lands in Paris
When Lindbergh was seen crossing the Irish coast, the world cheered and eagerly anticipated his arrival in Paris. A frenzied crowd of more than 150,000 people gathered at Le Bourget Field to greet him. But the 3,610-mi. flight tired and confused the aviator so much that when Lindbergh reached Paris, he circled the Eiffel Tower in order to get his bearings. Meanwhile, the police lines broke down in Le Bourget when the plane touched down at the airfield; 20,000 French people surged forward. Lindbergh later reported that the enthusiastic reception was the most dangerous part of the flight.
Lindbergh’s photogenic lean good looks, his bravery and modesty made him an instant hero. He was shown in some of the earliest talking newsreels. For years, the press hounded him relentlessly. The first media superstar, he was to pay dearly for his fame and wealth.
Lindbergh’s plane, The Spirit of St. Louis was named for the St. Louis businessman who financed its purchase for about $10,000. The name on the nose of the plane is hard to see in above photo, but its license number, N-X 211 is legible. The letter N was the international designation for the United States; the X meant the plane–a Ryan monoplane–was experimental. The plane is current on permanent exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
