Toy, Airplane, Lindbergh, King Collection

A silver toy airplane with the French flag on the tail. The side of the plane has the text "AR FRANCE" stamped into the metal. The propeller is free spinning as are all three wheels, two in the front are connected by a bar but spin independently and the tail wheel is secured in place by a metal pin but can spin. The wing, mounted to the top of the toy has a series of lines stamped into the metal. The body has a rectangular hole on either side.

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.