Jacket, Lindbergh, King Collection

A jacket with a heavy-duty zipper and two hips pockets that are secured by buttons. A rectangular leather patch on the left breast reads "AVIREX LTD." Both shoulders have a brown patch sewn onto the jacket. The left sleeve has a small pocket with a zipper and two leather pouches just above the elbow. Printed on the inside of the jacket is an image of Lindbergh wearing a tie inside of an oval. Left and right of the oval are two American flags. Below the oval text reads "Capt. Chas. "Lucky" Lindbergh" Above the image text reads "AVIREX WELCOMES HOME" On the back of the jacket is an image of Lindbergh wearing a flight jacket, goggles and cap. Left of Lindbergh is an image of a skyscraper with the words "NEW YORK" below. Right of Lindbergh is an image of the Eiffel Tower with the word "PARIS" below. An orange series of dots connects these two images behind Lindbergh. Just to the right of Lindbergh's head is an image of the Spirit of St. Louis. Above Lindbergh text that reads "LUCKY LINDY" the U and C in LUCKY are created by two horseshoes. Below Lindbergh is a white rectangle with the headline from the Chicago Sunday Tribune "LINDBERGH LANDS IN PARIS"

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.