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Charles Lindbergh Facts

Charles Lindbergh Facts
Charles Lindbergh was the first pilot to make a solo transatlantic flight, which he successfully achieved in 1927. Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born on February 4th, 1902, in Detroit, Michigan, to Evangeline Lodge Land Lindbergh, a chemistry teacher, and Charles August Lindbergh, a U.S. Congressman. Charles attended a variety of different schools while growing up, partially due to his parent's separation when he was seven. He graduated from Little Falls Senior High School in 1918, and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Engineering. Charles dropped out of college in his sophomore year and went to begin flight training in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1922. His first solo flight took place in 1923, four years before his transatlantic solo flight that made aviation history.
Interesting Charles Lindbergh Facts:
Charles Lindbergh learned to fly at the Nebraska Aircraft Corporation. His first ever flight took place on April 9th, 1922, when he was the passenger in a two-person Lincoln Standard biplane, with Otto Timm as the pilot.
After completing his training in Nebraska Charles Lindbergh became a stunt pilot and daredevil in the sky. He performed various daredevil feats such as parachuting, wing-walking, and even changing planes mid-air. This type of daredevil stunt piloting was called 'barnstorming'.
Charles Lindbergh bought his own stunt plane in 1923, and spent most of the year barnstorming under the nickname 'Daredevil Lindbergh.'
In October, 1923 Charles Lindbergh sold his first airplane to an aviation student. The plane was discovered almost 50 years later in a barn and now sits on display at Garden City, NY's Cradle of Aviation Museum.
Charles Lindbergh was also known as 'Lucky Lindy'.
Charles Lindbergh was ordered to report to Brooks Field on March 19th, 1924 to begin training for the United States Army Air Service. He graduated top of his class 8 days after a serious mid-air collision that forced him to bail out of the aircraft. Only 18 of the original 104 cadets graduated.
Charles Lindbergh was granted his U.S. Army pilot's wings in March 1925, and appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Service Reserve Corp. He was a reserve officer.
Charles Lindbergh worked as a U.S. Airmail pilot from April 1926 to February 1927 when he left to help design and build the 'Spirit of St. Louis'.
Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic began on May 20th, 1927, when he left New York aboard his airplane 'The Spirit of St. Louis' and headed for Paris.
Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic took 33.5 hours.
Charles Lindbergh was not the first pilot to cross the Atlantic. It had been completed dozens of times before but never had it been done by a solo pilot.
Charles Lindbergh received millions of fan letters after his famous flight.
Charles Lindbergh took a solo flight from Washington to Mexico later in 1927 and he met and married Anne Morrow.
Anne Morrow became Charles' co-pilot.
Charles and Anne had a son, who was kidnapped in 1932 at 20 months of age and later found murdered.
Charles Lindbergh was involved in the early space program and he also helped invent an early artificial heart.
Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Congressional Gold Medal, a Pulitzer Prize and many other prestigious awards in the U.S. and abroad.
Charles Lindbergh died on August 6th, 1974 at the age of 72 in Maui, Hawaii. He had lymphoma.


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