Description: (French Designer Known for Creating the First Successful Flying Model, Known as the 'Planophore')
Alphonse Pénaud, a 19th-century French pioneer of aviation design and engineering, introduced twisted rubber to power model aircraft. In 1871, he created the Planophore, the first aerodynamically stable flying model. Pénaud later developed a full-sized aircraft with innovative features but struggled to secure support for the project. Despite his groundbreaking work, he tragically ended his own life in 1880. His contributions to aviation design and engineering remain a source of inspiration for advancements in the field.