This is from an email I recievec from mmy cousin Dale Iffrig.
I think you will like it too.
Subject: Fw: Charles Lindbergh's flight - EXCELLENT!!!!!!!

You'll enjoy this.
Win Perkins, a real estate appraiser who specializes in airport properties, has posted on his Web site a video he created of Charles Lindbergh's famous and risky takeoff in the Spirit of St. Louis .. According to Perkins, this is unlike any other presentation of the takeoff footage. Perkins said he "painstakingly assembled news footage from five cameras that filmed Lindbergh's takeoff from Roosevelt Field, Long Island " and "mixed it with enhanced audio from the same newsreel sources."
This is one of the most interesting videos I've seen come over the Internet. Four videos. Watch them in order. http://www.airportappraisals.com/contact/
Herb
I did, so much so I stayed up past my bed time.
That looks like a TT C-Cab towing it out to the line!
To make this T-related, here is a picture of Lindbergh (from his photo album) next to an acquaintance's speedster. I'll spare you the details.
Here is a rear view the same speedster taken by Lindbergh:
Great piece of history!
Great videos, I really enjoyed watching. Thanks for posting them, did you happen to notice the truck towing the spirit from the hanger? Looks like a 'TT' to me . Any how it's past my bed time too. good night
Erik Johnson,
Don't spare us the details. Where is the location of these pictures and what do you know of the speedster?
Thanks,
Steve Hughes
The original pictures are physically located at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul. Charles Lindbergh grew up in Little Falls, MN.
Lindbergh was on ROTC rifle teams in college (University of Wisconsin in Madison). After his freshman year he spent the first six weeks of summer vacation (1921) in artillery school at Camp Knox, KY. He and a friend (identified as "O'Connor") travelled from his friend's family farm near Hancock, WI to Camp Knox.
I did not post the photos in chronological order. The first photo was taken outside of Chicago (presumably by O'Connor with Lindbergh's camera). The second photo was taken at the start of the trip by Lindbergh of O'Connor, as they were leaving the O'Connor farm.
The historical society erroneously lists the pictures as being taken around 1923/24 but they were actually taken in 1921.
More pictures of Lindbergh next to O'Connor speedster:
Another picture of the trip to KY, June 1921 - other man in photo is identified as "Drewry."
Found this photo on an internet site dedicated to Excelsior-Henderson motorcycles. Not sure of the ultimate source or if it is from one of Lindbergh's personal photo albums:
From the film you get the impression Byrd took a smoke beside the plane while they were filling the tanks.. but perhaps it was filled up by that time.
I remember my folks talking about how everyone had their crystal set headphones on listening to radio broadcasts about the takeoff and later, the landing. My folks were amazed that they lived to see a man land on the Moon. They said Lindbergh's flight caused just as much if not more of a national stir.
Great photos of what almost is certainly a Paco body speedster. Looks to be the straight seat model rather than the staggered model. Perhaps Larry S can shed some more light on the year etc.
Do they make men like that anymore? No doubt he was good, but must have had Someone looking out for him. No one would ever recommend taking off under those circumstances. No sleep. WAY heavy. Muddy field. What is the soft field take off procedure for a taildragger with a skid, anyway? Better man than I'll ever be!
Used to be a fan of Lindy's dispite his anti war efforts then saw that documentary about his 3 other families (complete with wife and kids) in germany. I give him credit for his initial accomplishments but the guy was a bum.
Erik J. Thanks for the photos and the added details. I live near Lincoln, Nebraska, and have heard stories about Lindbergh "learning to fly" at a long defunct airport in Lincoln. I don't know if there is any truth to it, but I have heard it more than once from different sources. Does anyone know anything about that?
In early 1922 Charles Lindbergh dropped out of the engineering program at the University of Wisconsin.
Late March/early April he went to Lincoln, Nebraska where he had enrolled in flight school.
As far as sources are concerned, there are no mysteries. Charles Lindbergh's 1927 autobiography "WE" states he went to Lincoln, Nebraska for flight school.
The Minnesota Historical Society has photos that Lindbergh took at Lincoln Field while attending flight school.
Neat stuff.
I'm going to add one more pilot to the dead pilots list. (I can't get this picture to load the normal way no matter how small I make it)
[IMG]http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q32/olfart100/Dad2Small.jpg[/IMG]
Joe Halpin, my dad. Died in a Crop Duster accident in 1952
What a great presentation, Herb...Thank you for giving us Win Perkins web....My Mom got up early on the 20th of May '27 to listen for Lindbergh's plane as he passed Naragansett Bay on his way North....She told me I kicked like crazy in her tummy....I was born 13 days later and she said she knew I would be a pilot when I grew up....She was Scotch-Irish, and insisted I live my life on the edge.....After flying, boating and motorcycling , I am finally going touring in my Model T roadster in heavy traffic....but with two side view mirrors and one on the windshield...
Jack '25 roadster-pick-up
In December of 1926, Lindbergh became a Mason in Keystone Lodge No. 243 in St. Louis. I have seen a copy of his petition for initiation, in which he lists his occupation as "air mail pilot." Keystone Lodge later merged with Trinity Lodge to become Keystone-Trinity. A few years ago, K-T merged with another lodge, and they decided on a new name altogether. They also made a special arrangement to get a new number which had not belonged to either of the merging lodges, and they are now Spirit of St. Louis Lodge No. 27.
Since his Ryan monoplane was made in San Diego, Lindbergh tried to get that city to sponsor him. If they weren't such tightwads (Ford owners, no doubt), it would have been the "Spirit of San Diego" all these years.
rdr
Ralph, in those days, St. Louis folks had vision....