Wingtip Ground Handling Bar (1927)

A close-up detail shot of the wingtip of the Spirit of St. Louis, showing a specialized, curved metal handling bar attached beneath the fabric surface. — Wingtip Ground Handling Bar (1927) · Donald A. Hall Estate Collection

Specialized wing-tip additions and handling bars were designed specifically for ground handling—giving the crew and mechanics a secure place to walk, steady, and pivot the monoplane around the Ryan Aeronautical field without putting stress on the delicate fabric or rib structure of the wing.