Ryan NYP NX211 - Macca's Vintage Aerodrome

Ryan NYP 

NX211 

"Spirit of St Louis" 

Assembly Manual 

for ARF scale stand-off scale model 

and RNF display model 

in 1:5 scale. 

Historical data and presentation. 

Model design and construction drawing by 

Göran Kalderén © 

2000-12-28 

Ryan NYP 1927 ARF 1

First Nonstop Solo Transatlantic Flight 

On May 21, 1927, the son of a Swedish 

immigrant, Charles A. Lindbergh completed the 

first solo non stop transatlantic flight in history. 

He flew his special built Ryan NYP “Spirit of 

St.Louis” 5,810 kilometers (3,610 miles) from 

Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York to le 

Bourget airfield outside Paris, France in 33 hours 

and 30 minutes. With this achievement 

Lindbergh won the $25,000.- prize offered by the 

New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig to the 

first aviator to fly directly across the Atlantic from 

New York to Paris.. Charles Lindbergh became 

a world hero who would remain in the public eye 

for decades to follow. 

The aftermath of the flight was the 

“Lindbergh boom” in aviation. Aircraft industry 

stock rose in value and the interest in flying 

zoomed. Lindbergh’s subsequent tour in the 

“Spirit of St. Louis” demonstrated the airplane 

as a safe and reliable mode of transportation. 

Following the US tour he took the airplane on a 

goodwill tour to South and Central America. The 

flags of the countries that he visited were painted 

on the engine cowling. 

“Spirit of St. Louis” was named in honor 

of the supporters in St.Louis, who paid for the 

Ryan NYP 1927 ARF 2 

aircraft. “NYP” is the acronym for “New York- 

Paris”, the object of the flight. 

Design features 

The “Spirit of St. Louis” was designed by Donald 

Hall under the direct supervision of Charles 

Lindbergh. It is a highly modified version of a 

conventional Ryan M-2 strut-braced high wing 

monoplane, powered by a reliable Wright J-5C 

9 cylinder radial engine. Because the fuel tanks 

were located ahead of the cockpit for safety in 

case of an accident, the forward view was 

restricted or rather non-existent. Lindbergh could 

not see directly ahead but he could peek out 

through the open side windows or use a 

periscope mounted in his forward field of vision. 

Development 

NYP was an extensively modified M-2. The 

aircraft first flew on April 28, 1927. Between May 

10 and May 12 Lindbergh flew the plane from 

San Diego to New York in 21 hours and 40 

minutes, setting a new transcontinental record. 

The aircraft made its last flight on April 30, 1928 

when it arrived at the National Air and Space 

Museum in Washington DC, where it still resides 

today. 

Data 

Wingspan: 14 m (46 ft.) 

Length: 8 m (27 ft 8 in) 

Height: 3 m ( 9 ft 10 in) 

Wing area: 29,7 sq.m 

Weight gross: 2,330 kg (5,135 lb) 

Weight empty: 975 kg (2,150 lb) 

Engine: Wright Whirwind J-5C, 223hp 

Max. speed: 210 km/h 

Cruise speed: 180 km/h 

Ceiling: 5000 m 

Range: 6600 km 

Manufacturer: Ryan Airlines Co. San Diego,CA. 

Crew: 1

The original "Spirit of St. Louis" aircraft in the National 

Air & Space Museum in Waschington DC. 


A replica built in France and now residing in the EAA Museum in Oskosh, U.S.A. 



The Model 

I have chosen the scale 1:5, as it gives a reasonable 

big airplane but small enough to handle in a car, 

easy to assemble at the airfield and above all, is 

relatively forgiving to fly. 

The airplane comes with the tailskid attached and 

it remains only to attach the landing gear, the 

stabilizer in place and attach the fin and the rudder, 

control wires to the rudder and elevator horns. The 

stabilizer is supported by struts as by the full scale 

prototype. The elevator and rudder are actuated 

with pull-pull wires, which is scale and very reliable. 

The wires are attached directly to the rudder bar 

and the elevator control column. 

The wing halves are joined together with 5 mm 

spring steel rods in holes located in the wing root. 

The whole wing is placed on top of the fuselage 

and bolted to the frame with 4 Allen bolts. The wing 

struts are functional and are attached to the wings 

and fuselage (landing gear) with 3 mm screws and 

lock nuts. 

Specification 

Wingspan: 2800 mm 112" 

Length: 1600 mm 64" 

Wing surface: 119 dm² 1500 sq” 

Wing loading: 60 gm/dm² 16.2 oz/sq’ 

Weight: 7200 gm 15 lb. 9oz. 

Engine: .60/.80 2-stroke or .90/1.20 4stroke 

For display version disregard sections marked 

with * 

*Engine installation 

The engine is installed upright in the plywood engine 

bearers. The cut-out is made for a 1..20 4-stroke 

engine. We used a Saito 1.20 engine in our 

prototype. A right thrust of 2-3° is recommended 

to compensate for the torque. We flew our 

prototype with 1° right thrust with additional rudder 

correction at full speed. In full size manner you 

can add side deflection on the fin instead of engine 

thrust deflection. 

Rudder and 

elevator servo 

linkages 

Elevator servo 

linkage 

Rudder cables 


Rudder 

servo 

linkage 

Remove the center upright dummy engine cylinder 

and parts of the crankcase. You will have to enlarge 

the openings in the aluminum covering plates 

depending on what engine you are installing. 

Where wood is removed, smoothen the surfaces 

and coat the whole interior with fuel proof paint. 

Lead the throttle cable to the servo through a hole 

in the firewall and connect the fuel tube from your 

tank to the carburettor. 

The tank is placed on the engine bearer board in 

the compartment behind the engine. This brings 

the tank level with the carburettor. 

*Special order version with vertical firewall 

Should you wish to install a radial engine like the 

Technopower 9 cylinder, 1/5th scale, here are the 

essential measurments for this installation. 

Dummy engine diameter 235 mm / 9.3” 

Firewall diameter 165 mm / 6.5” 

Spinner backplate 115 mm / 4.5” 

Distance firewall to spinner 75 mm / 3” 

*Radio/servo installation 

The receiver and battery are located on the upper 

tray behind the fire wall above the tank. 

The servos for rudder, elevator and throttle are 

affixed in the servo tray with special screws and 

Location of tank and 

throttle servo in 

fuselage 

Location 

of 

tank 

Rudder 

and elevator 

servos 

Location of 

Elevator 

cables

grommets. The ailreon servos (2) are located in 

the wing root of the wings. 

Rudder and elevator surfaces are controlled with 

cables from the rudderbar and the control column. 

Fuselage 

The fuselage is completely built up. It is complete 

with pulleys and all control wires attached. The 

stabilizer and fin must be attached to the fuselage 

and the wing appropriately affixed to the fuselage. 

Landing gear 

The landing gear has to be attached to the fuselage 

at the 6 attachment pionts using 3 mm screws 

and locknuts. 

1. First install the support angle at the side of the 

fuselage with 3 mm screws and locknuts. The open 

"fork" should be directed downward. 

2. Install the landing gear legs in the brackets in 

the lower part of the fuselage with 3 mm screws 

and locknuts. 

3. Connect the landing gear with the angular 

support with 3 mm screws and locknuts. Make 

sure that the longer rod of the oleo strut connects 

with the landing gear leg. Tighten the nuts enough 

to let the landing gear and the oleo strut move freely. 

4. Replace the aluminum cover and secure with 

#2 x 1/4" screws. See detail sketch for reference. 

The oleo struts are functional and the rubber band 

should be replaced when worn out.We have 

Main 

landing gear 

oleo strut 

support 

Rear landing 

gear leg 

Front landing 

gear leg 

Landing gear and wing strut support 

The oleo strut is first attached to the upper landing gear support. 

The aluminum cover plate is then pushed up from the bottom. Secure the cover plate with #2 

sheet metal screws. Then attach the lower end of the oleo strut to the landing gear shaft. For 

the entire landing gear assembly use 3 mm screws and lock nuts 

Rear wing strut 

Front wing strut 

Oleo strut with 

attachment pegs 

for bungee rubber 

Wheel 

collar 

Balsa strut 

fairing 

Front landing 

gear leg 

Oleo strut cover plate 

Landing gear and 

front wing strut support 

Landing gear and front 

wing strut support bracing. 

Same bolt as strut 

attachmentpoint 

Oleo strut with 

attachment pegs 

for bungee rubber 

Wing struts are made of flat 

steel faired with balsa. End 

fittings are heavy duty brass. 

The struts are attached to the 

fuselage and the wings with 3 

mm screws and locknuts. 


installed a fresh set of rubber bands before 

shipment. 

Covered wooden wheels with tires are supplied. 

Spoked wheels are optional and available as extra 

parts. Secure the wheel collars with the 3 mm Allen 

set screws such that the wheels can turn freely 

and use Locktite or similar to secure the wheel 

collars. 

Stabilizer / elevator 

The stabilizer is attached to the fuselage with 3 

nylon screws. The stabilizer is secured with 3 preadjusted 

struts, attached with #2 screws to the 

fuselage. 

Attach the elevator wires from the elevator servo 

arm to the elevator horn. The elevator wires exit 

through holes in the rear of the fuselage and the 

upper wires pass through the stabilizer. Note that 

the wires are crossed in the fuselage so that the 

lower wire at the control column attaches to the 

upper horn on the elevator. Elevator deflection 

should be 20° up and down. 

Fin / rudder 

The fin and rudder with hinges is pushed in to the 

supporting tube in the fuselage. It is locked with 1 

#2 screw into the outer tube. The only remaining 

thing is to attach the rudder wires to the rudder. 


Hinge 

pins 

The rudder wires exit through holes in the rear of 

the fuselage. Rudder deflection should be 30° left 

and right. 

Wings 

The wing halves are joined together with 5 mm 

spring steel rods. The two aileron servos are 

installed in the servo mounts in he underside of 

the wings in the cabin area and connected to the 

push-pull aileron bellcrank. Pull-pull wires lead out 

to the ailerons via pulleys in front of the ailerons 

(scale function). Check the throw and function by 

temporarily connecting the servos to the radio. The 

complete wing is now placed on top of the fuselage 

with the window in the center. Four 5 mm Allen 

bolts secure the wing to the fuselage. 

Now the wing struts are installed with 3 

mm screws and locking nuts. The wingstruts are 

functional and has to be checked for security. 

Access to the inside of the cabin is through the 

door and the port side window. No clear panels 

were installed in the side windows of the original 

aircraft. 

*Finishing 

The model is covered with Solartex aluminum and 

all markings are painted with Dutch Boy black 

enamel. 

Installation of fin, rudder, stabilizer and elevator 

Fin front 

support bracket 

Screw for 

locking fin post 

to fuselage 

Elevator 

cables 

Stabilizer attachment 

screws ( 3 pcs nylon)

Aileron 

cables 

Aileron 

cables 

Aileron servo linkage 

Aileron 

servo Servo to 

bellcrank 

link 

Aileron 

bellcrank 

We suggest that you paint all wooden 

surfaces in the engine bay with one coat of clear 

fuel-proofing. Also on the areas where you have 

removed parts of the dummy engine to fit the flying 

engine in place. 

*Dummy engine 

A dummy of the Wright J-5, 9 cylinder 

engine is is supplied and has to be removed and 

remodeled to fit with your engine for flying. You can 

attach the dummy engine to the engine mount after 

removing one cylinder in lieu of the real engine. 

You may also have to make a cut-out in the upper 

aluminum nose panel. It is recommended to let 

the exhaust out via a flexible header end exit 

through the lowel nose cowl panel. There is plenty 

of room for the silencer inside the cowling. The 

above refers to the installation of a 1.20 4-stroke 

engine. We installed a Saito engine which has 

rocker covers closely resembling the Wright J-5. 

Scale propeller 

A finished scale propeller with spinner and spinner 

mounting plate is supplied. The hole is drilled for 

6,5 mm propeller shaft and may have to be 

enlarged to fit your engine. The spinner is attached 

to the backplate with 4 #2 screws. This propeller 

Aileron 

break 

pulleys 

Aileron 

horn 

Location of 

wing 

mounting 

bolts 

Aileron servo 

installation 

Aileron servo and 

aileron bellcrank 

seen from the top 

of the wing 

is not intended for flying. You can replace the 

propeller with one suitable for your engine. The 

attachment of the spinner cone with the #2 screws 

will however be subject to adding lockwashers to 

prevent the screws from loosening. Best is to 

acquire a 4½" aluminum spinner with central 

attachment screw for flying. 

*Balancing 

The airplane should balance at a point in the range 

of 9 -11cm (3.6"-4.4") wich is equal to 20 - 25% of 

the wing cord from the leading edge. Move the 

battery or add weight if required. A setting further 

forward will make the aircraft "groovy". 

Pitot tube and Windgenerator 

For transport reaseons both the long pitot tube and 

the windgeneratoror vane are separated from the 

model and packed separately. The pitot tube fits 

on the underside of the left wing just outside the 

wingstruts. Push the assembly gently but firmly 

into the 2 holes in the wing. The windgenerator 

vane is pushed into the hole on the top of the 

fuselage. Two ballbearings will enable the free 

turning of the vane. Friction will hold the vane axle 

in place. 

*Flying 

Make sure that you have set the elevator throw as 

recommended. Check also that the wings are level 

and have the proper wash out. 

Take off with this airplane is straight into the wind 

only. Don’t try to pull it of the ground. Let it lift off 

gently. Make the turns with coordinated rudder/ 

elevator and aileron. It is not a pattern airplane! 

Remember that this airplane was built for a specific 

purpose; with a very high payload of fuel to cross 

the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris. 

The stabilizer area is relatively small but the 

moment arm long. Keep the speed up when you 

come in for landing. Enjoy cruising in the blue sky 

and feel the thrill of the imaginative re-enacting of 

the acomplishment of a successful early aviator. 

Happy and safe landings! 


The left side 

landing gear 

with the 

streamlined 

covering removed 

The wing is attached with 4 Allen bolts. The 

window on top of the cockpit is an intergral 

part of the fuselage. 


The Ryan NYP before covering, painting and finishing 

The wing 

struts are 

functional 

Bungee 

rubber 

bands 

The Ryan NYP is constructed closely to 

the principles of the full size aircraft. The landing 

gear is fully functional with rubber bungee bands 

as chock absorber. The wing struts are functional 

and consist of steel straps, faired with balsa as 

on the full size original. 

The landing gear is constructed of heavy 

duty 5 mm steel spring steel wire to withstand 

the hardships of a not so good landings. 

The ailerons are activated by pull-pull 

wires from a bellcrank in the wing root to the 

aileron horns. The servos (2) are coupled with a 

short links to these bellcranks. The rudder and 

the elevator are connected with pul-pull wires in 

scale fashion and the control column as well as 

the rudder bar are connected to the servos with 

short links with ball links in one end. This gives a 

very positive and smoth action. The throw can 

be increased or decreased according to taste. 

The ailerons can also be set for differential throw 

(more up than down movement), recommended 

for the average skilled pilot. 

The engine installation is straight forward 

and the required cut-outs have to be made on 

the aluminum cover plates to accomodate the 

flying engine. The spinner has aluminum 

backplate and can be used for flying. The scale 

propeller has to be replaced for flying.

The right side landing gear has the 

streamlined covering installed 

The engine for flying (Saito 1.20 4-stroke) blends 

very inconspiciously with the dummy 

Wright Cyclone J-5 engine. The 

spinner is scale with 

display propeller 

A generous wing area renders low wing loading 


What is in the box: 

The ARF kit contains the parts shown in the picture. 

All the parts are covered and painted. All the rigging 

3 

9 

K&W 

4 

1. Fuselage with tail skid. 

2. Landing gear assembly 

3. Scale wheels 

Model 

Airplanes Inc. 


8 

1 

2 

wires are supplied in the correct lengths and need 

only to be clipped to their positions. 

5 6 

4. Dummy engine with mount 

5. Scale propeller with spinner 

6. Fin / rudder 

7 

P.O.Box 1229, Cebu City Centrl. Postoffice 

Cebu City 6000, Philippines 

Visiting address: 

3343 Gun-Ob, Kinalumsan, 

Lapu-Lapu City 6015, PHILIPPINES 

Phone +63 32-340 7147, Cellular +63 917-3200 985 

Telefax +63 32-340 7131, E-mail: kwmairpl@gsilink.com 

8 

10 

7. Stabilizer / elevator 

8. Wing panels 

9. Wing struts 

10. Assembly manual

Ryan NYP NX211 - Macca's Vintage Aerodrome

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