Is the plane suspended from the ceiling in the Grand Hall the original?
No. The original plane Lindbergh flew over the Atlantic Ocean is in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Our plane is a sister ship that was created by the same manufacturer – Ryan Airlines Corporation-a year later than the original Spirit of St. Louis. This plane was modified to match the Spirit’s exact dimensions for the 1957 movie, The Spirit of St. Louis, starring Jimmy Stewart. Oral histories claim that this plane was flown both by Stewart (a decorated WWII pilot) and by Lindbergh, who served as an advisor for the film. Acquired by the Museum in 1962, the plane was displayed at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport for many years until our 2000 addition created a space for it to be installed at the History Museum.
