Penaud Planophores
Little known and little remembered today, this early French pioneer of flying models opened doors to both modeling and full-size aviation. His story still makes fascinating reading today. THE STORY of Charles Alphonse Penaud (pronounced pay-know), an early pioneer of model airplanes, deserves to be better known. In fact this 19th-century Frenchman may have been the most influential modeler of all time. Born in 1850 in Paris, Penaud expected to carry on the family tradition of career maritime service. However, complications from a severe hip injury rendered him physically unfit for naval service. Obliged to walk with crutches from a young age, he was plagued by discomfort for most of his short life. Mild and modest by nature, Penaud was also something of a wunderkind and as inquisitive as Leonardo da Vinci. His interests included bird flight, balloons, ballistics, mathematics, meteorology, high-speed photography, hydrodynamics, rocketry, aerodynamics, and much more. Unlike many theoreticians, Alphonse had the ability to reduce complex, abstract ideas to simple terms and demonstrate them with practical hardware.
Peanut Pilatus Turbo
THE FULL-SIZE Turbo-Porter is a product of Switzerland, and first flew during May of 1961. An outgrowth of the piston-engined Pilatus Porter, the Turbo-Porter has been produced in several variations over the years, differing in power plants and many minor details. These machines have been employed in a number of different countries, and thus a large variety of color/marking schemes may be found from which to choose. For those who may care to undertake research, we offer the following list of references: Flying, April, 1962; Aviation Week, December 17, 1962; The AOPA Pilot, December, 1963; Aviation Week, October 4, 1963; Flugwelt Heft II, 1965; The AOPA Pilot, October, 1965; Flugzeuge aus Aller Welt, 1966; The Aircraft of the World, 1965; Model Airplane News, August, 1968; Australian Modeler, No. 7.
Why Scale?
EVER WONDER what makes a scale modeler tick? It would seem that they hear a slightly different drummer than "regular" (non-scale) model builders. Not necessarily a better beat, but certainly a different one. Active scale builders are a distinct minority group. Yet they gain attention all out of proportion to their numbers. There are a great many scale model talkers, but relatively few doers. The reason is simple: Researching, designing, and building scale models is very hard work! Vast amounts of patience and discipline are required, not to mention skill, and most people are not willing to invest all of those ingredients. What motivates those who are? Ask ten different builders and you may receive ten different answers. Over a period of years, we have exchanged many letters relating to the subject with modelers in various parts of the U.S. and in foreign countries. And recently, J. D. Gillies and your author completed a tour which gave us the opportunity to talk to some of these people in person as well as to see their models first-hand.
Why Scale?
MOST BUILDERS start with a kit or magazine project as their initial introduction to scale modeling, and without a doubt this is the simplest approach. But to really experience the satisfaction inherent in scale, a person must become involved in research. This may only take the form of finding some particular paint scheme for decorating an existing kit design, or seeking out additional details to "frost the cake." Or, one may have in mind a pet aircraft that is just not available in kit form. Whatever the reason, whether you are undertaking the simplest Peanut Scale type of model or the most complex form of RC machine, it will pay you to devote sometime to research.
Nieuport's Marvelous Monoplanes
NIEUPORT MEANS biplanes to the average aviation enthusiast but before World War I, Nieuport was synonymous with monoplanes of great speed and efficiency. Edouard de Nieport, who later changed the spelling of his name to Nieuport for commercial purposes, was designing aircraft scientifically while most other aviation pioneers were still bumbling along with "cut-and-try" methods. While most of his contemporaries were hanging larger engines on their flying machines in search of greater speed, Edouard was working with Gustave Eiffel (of tower fame) wind-tunnel testing his designs. The efforts paid off in the form of many records for speed, duration and altitude, including some established in the United States. Perhaps the crowning achievement was the winning of the 1911 Gordon Bennett Cup Race. First spot went to American Charles T. Weymann, while Nieuport himself, flying a sister ship, placed third in the event.
