ALS signed “Lindbergh,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 10.75, January 24, 1926. Letter to his friend George O’Connor. In part: “I am instructing for Robertson Aircraft at present and have been since last fall but I expect to start work breaking in the mail route to Chicago which starts operating April first. I put in about two hours a day in the air with students and I have to get the instruction plane ready each morning with the students aid which in most cases amounts to 0(-10). It is not bad in the warm weather but in the winter we have to drain oil and water each evening and heat it before starting in the morning so after supper I feel like turning in. I have five students at present and it is usually around 0° in the morning. It takes an average of about 5 1/2 hours to solo a student but in the winter the wind is often blowing all day and the air is rough so they require more time. I see you got your first commission. I got mine just last November and have joined the 110th Mo. Natl. Guard Obs. Sqdn…I expected you to be well in a family way by now and am surprised to learn differently…I am situated about the same position that I was at Madison, ie no prospects—past, present, or future.” On the reverse in the lower left, Lindbergh prints his name, “C. A. Lindbergh, Anglum Missouri,” as a return address. In fine condition, with a couple slight separations along horizontal folds.
Shortly after graduating first in his class from the US Army’s military flight training school in 1925, Lindbergh was hired by the Robertson Aircraft Corporation in St. Louis as a flight instructor. Proving himself a cautious and highly capable pilot, RAC enlisted him to map out Contract Air Mail Route #2, a 278-mile path from St. Louis to Chicago, which, as noted in this letter, made its first mail run on April 15, 1926. Lindbergh served as chief pilot for CAM-2 until mid-February 1927, when he left to oversee the design and construction of his famous Spirit of St. Louis. This letter to an old friend, holding detailed descriptions of his earliest work in aviation as well as a charmingly personal note on his romantic position—“I am situated about the same position that I was at Madison, ie no prospects—past present, or future”—is a highly desirable addition to any serious aviation collection. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$75.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
