Evening star., 1928-05-13
SPIRIT Of ST. LOUIS
HANGS IN MUSEUM
lindbergh's Famous Plane
Now Swings From Cables
in Smithsonian.

It's engine silent. its propeller still
and the cockpit empty, the Spirit of ST
Louis today swings from three-point
suspension in the quiet atmosphere OF
the Arts and Industries Building of the
Smithsonian Institution, a historic relic
never to fly again.
AT $50 O'Clock last night. at the end
Of 10 hours patient and careful work
by picked crew from Boiling Field,
the last clamp on looped-over cable
connecting the tail with beam high
in the north hall of the building was
bolted together, Smithsonian Tnstitu-
tion officials pronounced the job excel
lent, the famous airplane swung in per-
feet balance and the working partner
OF Col. Charles A. Lindbergh entered
its first night Of an everlasting era of
preservation. Today the building will
be open under the usual Sunday sched-
ule, 1880 TO 4:S0 pm.
Immediately behind sign that greetS
the visitor as he crosses the portals of
the building and reading History of
the United States" the ocean-croSSing
monoplane hangs majestically feet
above the floor attached to three cables.
each with a tensihle strength of $4,000
pounds. The cables. two in the nose of
the fllselage on each side and immedi-
ately behind the metal cowling run
ming from the engine, are secured around
beams so feet above. The third cable.
secured TO strong member of the fuse
lage close To the rudder fin. also runs
skyward 10 the same height.
Given Aluminium Coat.
Most of the days work yesterday was
devoted to streamlining the deep gaps
created by the wing struts, the landing
gear struts and the space between the
wing and the fuselage, created when
these members had TO be removed in
transporting the plane from Boiling
Field. About i8 pieces of streamlining
he'd to be completed, first by gluing
FABRIC over the openings. permitting It
TO dry, then doping it and finally giving
II a coat of aluminium paint
At 4:30 O'Clock the ship was ready for
q test haul Three tackles had been
attached TO the cables at their connect
ing points with the plane. Up in the
CT oSs-bsanls of the north tower, T. F.
Fshey. assistant foreman of the engi-
i1tertng hangar at Boiling Field, and
thfee assistants were waiting to perform
their task. They lowered lines to which
The loose ends of the cables were con-
ne ted and drawn I'D.
Twelve strong armed men grabbed
the towline ccnected with the two
tat'Eles. The plane was hoisted a few
feet and Steadied for a minute or two
IN 1icatons were that everything would
hold
Twenty minutes later Lieut. Kellogg
Slnan. engineering officer of Boiling
Field, and 2. Mcclellan Brown, shop
foreman In charge of the detail Of me-
chanics. gave the word to hoist.
Slowly the Spirit rose vertically,
with first one wing down and then the
other. At the approximate height II
was TO remain the hosting lines were
made fast and Fahey and his assist
ants patiently carried out their i'm
portant task OF locking three clamps
on each OF the forward cables When
the lett cable was secured the right one
was measured and then clamped. There
was no meticulous measuring TO see
that both were the same TO the frac-
tion OF an inch, but the naked eve re-
yealed the wing perfectly horizontal.
The plane appeared to be balanced on
these Two cables alone. but the tail con-
nection was necessary. T
Give View Of Cockpit.
Smithsonian officials plan to erect
platform Immediately that will permit
visitors TO look into the cockpit of the
plane. The cockpit will be illuminated
by reflected light placed Immediately
behind the seat. Although spectators
wiz be able to get a close view Of the
interior. they viii be out Of reach Of
any part OF the ship.
The last Of the many flags and aVi-
alton unit insignia's painted on the
cowiing OF the plane beneath the words
spirit Of st. Louis was added early
yesterday morning In the form OF
Boiling Fields insignia white Capt.
tol dome In field Of blue surrounded
by checked circle Of blue and chrome
yellow squares, the colorg Of the Air
Corps.
The picked crew Of airpIane me-
Chagiics, riggerk and fabric workers who
carried out the delicate task with great
success was composed Of Master Sergt
KsShe, STAFF 6ergt Baehr. Master Sergt
Hooe, Corp Conroy, Corp johnson and
Priyts Kiingerberger. Meeks, Richard
son, Ewell. Birch, Eeay, Steinbacker.
Baker, PFuitt, Cullers. Fisher and Mil
Ter. All are attached 10 the engineer
tna section Of the field.
Dr.. Charles q. Abbot, secretary Of
the institution. vino was present
throughout the installation and even
gave a hand on one Of the hosting
ropes, thanked the Boiling Field con-
tingent, telling the personnel the work
was "wel done. indeed, and you de-
Eerve a great deal Of thanks from the