Toy, Airplane, Wind-Up, Lindbergh, King Collection

An all metal silver wind up toy with red lettering on the top of the wing "N-X-211 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS" The front two wheels are red and a rear wheel is yellow. The underside of the toy is open for access to the gears, springs and rods that propel the toy forward. The red propeller rotates as the toy moves forward.

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.