2-378-337 - Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images

American aviator Charles Lindbergh addressing a crowd at the Washington Monument, Washington DC, USA, c1927. Lindbergh (1902-1974) addressing a crowd after accepting the Distinguished Flying Cross from President Calvin Coolidge, c1927. On 20-21 May 1927 Lindbergh made the first successful solo transatlantic flight. He flew from New York to Paris in a single-engined single-seater monoplane that he named 'Spirit of St Louis', the flight taking a total of 33 1/2 hours to complete. For his achievement Lindbergh won a $25,000 prize put up by a New York hotelier, Raymond Orteig, and worldwide fame.