Lindbergh used a periscope, although I don't think it was much help in the later stages of landing - he would have used the side windows.
A few weeks ago I got to fly in a Spirit of St Louis replica and will for ever more have 100% respect for Lindbergh's achievement, flying over 30 hours non stop in that thing. It is a dog of an aeroplane, horrible to fly. It took all my concentration just to keep the thing straight & level, very glad to have a map reader in there with me. One of the most amazing things about Lindbergh's trip was that he made landfall over the coast of Ireland just 4 miles off track. Some guy.