Earhart’s aircraft was a Lockheed Electra Model 10E “Special.” It was a modern airplane with a stressed aluminum skin. The “Special” refers to the fact that the aircraft had a specially-designed fuel system for long-distance flying.

“10E” means that the aircraft had 550 HP Pratt & Whitney “Wasp” engines, rather than the 450 HP engines that were standard for the 10. An Electra with 450 HP engines was designated a “10A.”

The airplane had no name, at least not in the sense that Charles Lindbergh named his aircraft “The Spirit of St. Louis.” Occasionally Earhart would refer to the plane as a flying laboratory.

The Electra was 38 feet, seven inches long, and had a wingspan of 55 feet. You can see a picture of it by clicking here.