Ryan NYP Landing Gear Bungee Shock Absorber Mechanism (1927)

Close-up of bare telescoping landing gear shock strut showing four industrial bungee cord loops held by shop technician. — Ryan NYP Landing Gear Bungee Shock Absorber Mechanism (1927) · Donald A. Hall Estate Collection

An archival engineering photograph detailing the uncovered telescoping landing gear shock strut of the Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis held by a Ryan technician. The photograph reveals four heavy-duty clusters of industrial-grade rubber bungee cord stretched across welded tubular cross-members, with cord ends whipped to prevent fraying. Engineered by Donald A. Hall Sr., this progressive elastic suspension system absorbed severe ground impacts under 5,200 pounds of gross overload weight, safely transferring dynamic landing stresses into the reinforced fuselage truss.