Scratch-built 1/72 Alérion Peyret Sailplane

by Gabriel Stern

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Sailplanes are seldom the subject of manufacturer's releases, or even of modeling articles.
Nevertheless they are an ever-present part of the aviation realm.  And, after all, that's how everything began, remember?

The plane:
French extravagance and flair is not just limited to fashion, as this Alérion Peyret of 1922 demonstrates. Of tandem-wing configuration and with a fuselage in need of a corset, it nevertheless won the soaring competition –at the hands of Maneyrol- at Itford, England, in 1922 setting an endurance record of 3 hours 22 minutes. Some time later Maneyrol pushed the record beyond the 8 hours mark with the same plane.

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The model:
At 6.6 meters of span it is small in 1/72 scale, which facilitates things…or not, depending upon several factors, namely: propensity of the parts to fall and be at the mercy of the carpet monster, sight of the builder, size of builder’s fingers, etc. In any case, the parts for this styrene dragonfly were cut and prepared in two hours. Images will walk you through the building process, since I have no idea or recollection whatsoever of what I did. In sum, I deny everything.

The tiny wheels were as usual acquired in the Distant and Foggy Islands from Aeroclub Models.
A succinct interior –probably one of the few cases where my ability almost matches the requirements- was provided. Struts were from Contrail and Strutz! But you have to eat Liverwurst as you use the latter, which guaranties success.
Thanks Rich for the info on this one!

  “…There is no better model than the one you are going to build next”

Styrenides (Greek modeler and olive farmer, 600 B.S.)

Gabriel

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Photos and text © by Gabriel Stern