Thursday, August 12, 2021

Landing the Spirit of St. Louis

A replica of The Spirit of St. Louis comes in for a landing just past the tower at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Ken Cassens is at the controls.


Cassens is the Aerodrome's veteran mechanic, builder, and pilot. This replica has the fuel tank in front of the pilot, just like Charles Lindbergh's original, but the tank blocks the pilot's view forward.

(Click right arrow below to watch video of the aircraft in flight.) 


To see the small grassy airstrip, Cassens maneuvers the plane so that he looks out a side window as it slips sideways.
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Read more: 
Lindbergh’s Airplane (or a Close Replica) Takes to the Skies

3 comments:

Cody said...

Great painting. I love these small works that capture moments. I think that's what I most want to do with my own sketches and paintings. The subject is very cool too. Does the fuel tank obstruct the forward view on the replica? I'm surprised the FAA lets them fly that way.

Sketching Artist said...

Oh wow! I remember going to an air show at the Rhinebeck airfield back in… 1986or 87?? Seems like a million years ago, but I remember very clearly the “dog fight” with the Red Baron. Very exciting.

Sketching Artist said...

Oh wow! I remember going to an air show at the Rhinebeck airfield back in… 1986or 87?? Seems like a million years ago, but I remember very clearly the “dog fight” with the Red Baron. Very exciting.