LINDBERGH ENGINE

AIRED: Season 3, Episode 1; Season 4, Episode 5
THE DETECTIVE: Tukufu Zuberi
THE PLACE: Parsippany, New Jersey

THE CASE:

Two brothers from New Jersey grew up listening to their uncle's tall tales of adventures in the skies.

Their favorite story is his claim that he was the man behind the Spirit of St. Louis, the plane made famous by Charles Lindbergh for it's historic non-stop flight across the Atlantic in 1927.

A letter addressed to the uncle from the Wright Aeronautical Corporation in 1927 thanks him for his "enthusiasm and outstanding cooperation" following "Captain Lindbergh's recent achievement" but makes no direct mention of his role in the event.

This family tale leads History Detectives to New Jersey and Florida to find out if the legend is true.

Could the brothers' 24-year-old uncle have built the engine for Lindbergh's plane, changing the future of flight forever and propelling "Lucky Lindy" to world fame?

More Leads

Donald Hall Collection: The background to the design of the Spirit of St Louis.

Paterson History: More about Paterson NJ the home to Wright Aeronautical.

Charles Lindbergh: More on Lindbergh’s plane including specifications.