Service History
Delivered: July 17, 1928
The “sister” ship of the famous “Ryan N.Y.P.” Spirit of Saint Louis, piloted by Charles “Lucky” Lindberg. The first solo, non-stop New York to Paris flight occured in May of 1927. The world’s interest in aviation and the Brougham sky-rocketed. Production was up to three planes a week, everyone wanted a B-1, which sold for $9,700.00.
The aircraft is made of welded chrome-moly steel tubing, solid spruce spars and covered with fabric. Note the original wicker bucket and bench seats. The swirled cowling was designed to hide the waves and bumps of the hand hammered metal and became a standard feature on the Brougham.
Early aviators described the B-1 as “Flying Utopia.” The smell of oil and gas, the feel of the sun and wind, the humming wires and the chill of altitude.
Yanks acquired this B-1, a bush plane out of Alaska, in June of 1978. This is the only flyable Ryan B-1 in the world.
