Alphonse Pénaud (1850–1880) was a major 19th century pioneer of aviation, inventor of the rubber powered model airplane Planaphore and founder of the aviation industry. Ironically, the man who invented this toy committed suicide. He built and sold ornithopters as well as propeller-driven models, and with Paul Gauchot designed an amphibious monoplane with retractable undercarriage.

References

• Aviation, The Pioneer Years, edited by Ben Mackworth-Praed, Studio Editions, Ltd., London, 1990

Aerospace engineers | French engineers | French inventors | Inventors who committed suicide | Aviators who committed suicide | 1850 births | 1880 deaths | Alphonse Pénaud