When the Bremen flyers sighted Polaris during their transatlantic flight, they realized that their compass was way off and changed course. They crash-landed on a frozen reservoir at the lighthouse of Greenly Island in the strait west of Newfoundland. Famous aviators Bernt Balchen and Floyd Bennett landed a Ford Tri-Motor bringing spare parts, but Bremen could not be flown out and the crew left with Balchen in the Tri-Motor. Bennett had caught pneumonia and died in Quebec City on 25 April, despite Lindbergh flying in serum. The story was a media hype and 60 journalists crowded the island. Photo by: Leslie Jones / Boston Public Library

This photo is attributed to Boston photographer Leslie Jones, but was taken at Baldonel, Ireland in the early morning before Bremen took off for the first successful non-stop transatlantic flight from east to west. A very similar photo in the Bundesarchiv shows two other German planes in the background. Evidently the Germans brought their own ladder - it reads 'Lackerei' (paintshop)! Photo from: Boston Public Library

The Bremenhalle is not open to the general public anymore but reserved for events. Nevertheless, this somewhat acceptable shot could be taken from outside, through glass. After its historical 1928 Atlantic crossing upon which it suffered damage twice, the Bremen was repaired and shipped back to Germany. There, it was put on display, after which it was shipped to the US again, put on display again, and eventually flown to Germany once more aboard a C-160, decades later. The aircraft is on loan from the museum The Henry Ford.

The "Bremen" made the first successful transatlantic flight from east to west, on April 12/13, 1928.