I’m reading a new book (“The Aviators,” by Winston Groom, better known as the author of “Forrest Gump”) in which the author several times claims that Charles Lindbergh “gave rides” to a variety of notables, including Henry Ford, in the Spirit of St. Louis. Does anybody know if this is this true? I suppose it’s possible, if they stuck a wicker seat behind Lindbergh’s and corrected the CG, but I have my doubts…
By: J Boyle - 14th November 2013 at 17:56
Stephan
As said in post 3, Henry Ford did indeed fly in the NYP on Aug 11, 1927.
In the Flying magazine 50th anniversary anthology “The Best of Flying” 1977…there is a three page reprint from the December 1927 issue of Popular Aviation. “When Ford went up” was written by Russell Wilks, a newspaperman who was there and was also invited on the Ford Tri-Motor flight that Lindbergh co-piloted with Henry as a passenger.
“A special seat was placed in the small cockpit” and Ford entered first followed by Lindbergh, so it sounds like the passenger was on the left. Ford’s son, Edsel, also flew in the Ryan.
Email me if you need a scan of the article.
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 17:06
The fuel tank was not removed for these flights. IIRC they perched behind the pilot but there was no seat there so it must have been a tad uncomfortable. And let’s not talk about weight and balance issues… 😀
Edited to add: all the flights where he carried others were of fairly short duration, 10 to 15 minutes at most. That ties in with the fact that there was no real accommodation for passengers.
That must have been a tight squeeze! I was in the pilot’s seat and I can tell you there is not much room – panel right in front of you. I kept thinking of Jimmy Stewart and that fly 🙂
By: Archer - 14th November 2013 at 16:02
G-ORDY has found the logbook already. I was going to dig through my collection for the book that Lindbergh wrote himself as I distinctly remember that he describes giving rides to several people both before and after his NY-Paris flight. The fuel tank was not removed for these flights. IIRC they perched behind the pilot but there was no seat there so it must have been a tad uncomfortable. And let’s not talk about weight and balance issues… 😀
Edited to add: all the flights where he carried others were of fairly short duration, 10 to 15 minutes at most. That ties in with the fact that there was no real accommodation for passengers.
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 11:32
Log book evidence 🙂
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 11:20
Yes, Coventry 2003. Broke up in flight
Moggy
This is the EAA pair:
http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/4Ryan%20Spirit%20of%20St%20Louis%20Replica.asp
I see the Coventry replica was a Swedish-built example:
http://www.charleslindbergh.com/plane/crash.asp
By: Moggy C - 14th November 2013 at 10:52
Sad demise? This one was fine in September last year. Another replica?
Yes, Coventry 2003. Broke up in flight
Moggy
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 10:47
Confirmed
Syracuse NY Journal 1927 Friday Aug 12, 1927
“Universal Staff Correspondent.
DETROIT, Mich.. Aug. 12.—Henry Ford and his son Edsel Ford, took their first airplane ride yesterday and chose as their pilot Col. Charles A. Lindbergh , the Nation’s air hero. Who flew them around Ford Airport in his Spirit of St Louis. “Can read whole article here
Interesting that he flew the Ford Fliver at Detroit, the EAA have a replica of that too!
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 10:46
This brought to mind the sad demise of the replica. Coventry wasn’t it?
Moggy
Sad demise? This one was fine in September last year. Another replica?
By: Moggy C - 14th November 2013 at 10:26
This brought to mind the sad demise of the replica. Coventry wasn’t it?
Moggy
By: G-ORDY - 14th November 2013 at 09:22
They probably sat in front of the pilot, I have sat in one of the EAA replica’s of the Spirit at Oshkosh and it is configured to seat passengers in a small cabin between the pilot and the firewall which was occupied by a large fuel tank in the original – it has side windows too (which the original doesn’t have). I’m guessing that Lindy had the tank removed after the Trans-Atlantic flight.
This is the passenger-carrying replica at Oshkosh:
This is the original (the replica has panels which can cover the cabin windows to look like the cowlings of the original):
Another shot of the original …
By: paulmcmillan - 14th November 2013 at 08:32
Confirmed
Syracuse NY Journal 1927 Friday Aug 12, 1927
“Universal Staff Correspondent.
DETROIT, Mich.. Aug. 12.—Henry Ford and his son Edsel Ford, took their first airplane ride yesterday and chose as their pilot Col. Charles A. Lindbergh , the Nation’s air hero. Who flew them around Ford Airport in his Spirit of St Louis. “
Can read whole article here
By: paulmcmillan - 14th November 2013 at 07:18
In Bill Bryson’s new book “Summer 1927” he says that Lindbergh gave Ford a ride (and IIRC) his son. Even though Bryson is not a historian per say the book is well researched and sources listed. it also has a lot for he aviation fan
By: Malcolm McKay - 14th November 2013 at 05:45
Henry Ford claimed to have been given a ride and to have actually held the stick. I suspect if he had been given a ride it would have been awfully cramped in there, besides Ford was known to be a little flexible with the narrative of his life.
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November 14, 2013 at 4:00 am