Alphonse Pénaud (1850–1880), was a 19th century French pioneer of aviation, inventor of the rubber powered model airplane Planaphore and founder of the aviation industry. He built and sold ornithopters as well as propeller-driven models, and with Paul Gauchot designed an amphibious monoplane with retractable undercarriage. He died by suicide.
model airplane by Alphonse Pénaud , 1871
References
- Aviation, The Pioneer Years, edited by Ben Mackworth-Praed, Studio Editions, Ltd., London, 1990